


The Tale of Six Weddings

by Katlyn1948



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Embarrassment, F/M, Gendry is still a blacksmith, Jeynes wedding is where it’s at!, Mild Smut, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, Neighbors to Friends to Lovers, Other, Single life, Slow Burn, Some Humor, Weddings, and they were neighbors, some smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:48:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25542373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katlyn1948/pseuds/Katlyn1948
Summary: Arya and Gendry go to six weddings in the span of a month...and they were neighbors!
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Meera Reed/Bran Stark, Theon Greyjoy/Sansa Stark
Comments: 124
Kudos: 259





	1. The Invitations

**Author's Note:**

> Gods...I really need to stop with these ideas in my head while I'm showering. 
> 
> This is a three parter...I already have it somewhat planned in my head. I'm pretty sure this concept has kinda been done, and I'm pretty sure it's also a movie...I just can't remember which one. 
> 
> Anyway, it is lighthearted and funny and I hope you enjoy!

  
Part One: The Invitations

She turned the key to enter her small one-bedroom apartment, sighing in relief as she saw her familiar blue couch and her butcher block countertops. The apartment was bit of a disarray, with shoes and clothes discarded all around the tiny flat. There was paper scattered about with unfinished drawn blueprints and unreadable scrawling cover the surface.

Arya wasn’t the most cleanly person, but she tried to at least keep her living quarters in somewhat presentable. However, she was sprung with a surprise business trip that she had little time to pack, let alone clean her apartment before she had to board a plane that was leaving in forty-five minutes from the time she had gotten the text from her boss.

It may have been sudden, but she was elated at the opportunity to travel to Bravvos to help her boss design a new architectural building that would be used to house some of the most expensive and rare Bravvosi artifacts known to man.

It was six weeks of constant conversation and discussion on how the building should look. By the time the business trip ended, she was two shades darker and had assisted in creating one of the best architectural designs that Bravvos would ever see. Granted she did enjoy her time; learning the culture and architecture was a plus, but she missed her bed, and her tv, and her blender (she was sorely missing late-night margaritas) and was ready to come back home.

She kicked off her shoes and threw her keys on the countertop before dragging her feet to plop herself on the couch. It was such a comfort and she couldn’t help but sigh in contempt as her body hit the plush sofa. She curled into a ball, burying her nose in the cushions and taking a deep breath, reveling in the familiar scent of comfort.

There was so much that she needed to do now that she was back home.

Her boss had given her a month off, due to the excellent work she had demonstrated in Bravvos, and Arya was ready to do nothing but eat, sleep, and drink. It would be nice to not have to worry about nagging clients or raging contractors; just the serenity of her own home and her dog, Nym.

_Shit!_

Arya’s eyes shot open and she threw herself up from the couch. She nearly forgotten to pick up Nym from her neighbor’s house. When she left, everything was such a blur that she barely had time to explain to him why he needed to watch her dog for six weeks. She pulled on her discarded shoes and threw her front door open, shuffling down the hall to her neighbor’s door.

He was the only other person on her floor and the only person she could trust in ten-mile radius to take care of her dog.

She lifted her fist and knocked on the door, giving it three sturdy pounds and waiting for him to crack it open. There was shuffling and bark from behind the door, and Arya’s jumped in anticipation. She had frequently faced timed her neighbor to check up on Nym, often times at odd hours of the night. She wasn’t accustomed to the time change and had forgotten on several occasions that five pm her time was NOT five pm his time, but he was a sport about it and gladly took the phone to where Nym was laying, letting Arya bask in the little company a video call could provide.

It took several minutes before her neighbor threw open his door, not at all surprised to see Arya standing behind it.

“You’re late.” He said as he pushed the door open for her to enter. Arya scoffed and scooted by him running straight into Nym’s wanting jumps. She was elated to see her owner, and after nearly two months, Arya couldn’t wait to bury her nose in her dogs fur.

She nuzzled into Nym’s neck, letting the husky lick her senseless. There were little whelps that escaped Nym’s muzzle as she took in Arya’s presence and she could tell that her dog was just as excited to see her as she was.

“I just got in, Gendry. Give me a break.” She scoffed as she lifted from hugging Nym. She trailed her way to his small dining room, taking a seat at his table. Gendry followed her, taking his own seat across from her.

“Not that I don’t enjoy Nym’s company, but she missed you terribly and I cannot wait to get the dog hair off my couch.”

Nym padded over to Gendry’s side and tucked her head on his lap, letting him know that she required him to pet her. He complied and gave her rub, kissing the top of her head in the process, “Yeah, yeah…I love you, too.”

“So, I take it she wasn’t bad.” Arya inquired. She knew the answer, she just wanted to make light conversation with someone who wasn’t her boss or Bravvosi councilmen.

Gendry shook his head. “No, she wasn’t. In fact, she was a gem.”

“That’s good!” Arya smiled. “I’m glad she behaved for you. Maybe I should let you dog sit more often.”

Gendry scoffed, “Don’t make it a habit, Stark. I did it this one time because you had no one else to ask.”

“Well either way, thanks.”

Gendry gave a quick nod, “Oh, before I forget, I took the liberty of picking up your mail. Your mailbox was piling, and the mailman couldn’t fit anything else into.”

He moved from the table and shuffled into his kitchen before emerging with two stacks of mail.

Most of it was sure to be junk or bills, but it did surprise Arya at how obscene the pile was. She never got this much mail, or at least she never payed enough attention to notice.

Arya furrowed her brows as she took the piles, “Who the seven hells would be sending me letters?”

She took undid the elastic band from around one of the piles and browsed through the mail. As she suspected, it was junk mail or reminders for bills she had already paid. It wasn’t until she reached the second pile that she began to see a pattern.

It was wedding invitation after wedding invitation. It was like everyone she ever knew had decided to get married over the six weeks she was gone. Granted, she only had enough international service to call and check in on her dog, so she had no idea what was happening across the Narrow Sea. She had no access to Facebook or Instagram, so the news of most her friends getting married was a complete shock.

She hadn’t even checked her emails if they didn’t pertain to work.

Her family knew she was aboard and would be near unreachable, but seven hells, someone could have told her something.

The real kicker, both her sister and younger brother had gotten engaged; their weddings just mere weeks apart.

“Holy shit, that is a lot of wedding invitations.” Gendry mussed as Arya shuffled through the envelopes, opening each on in haste. 

“Did everyone decided to get fucking married while I was gone? Like, shit!” She tore open an off-white envelope, skimming the words on the invitation. It was Jeyne Poole, Sansa’s best friend, and her enemy turned acquaintance. She honestly never expected a wedding invitation, or any invitation really, from Jeyne, considering their sordid past but she was happy for her, nonetheless.

In total, six people, including her siblings, were getting married. Seven fucking weddings she had to go to.

“Oh, I know them!” Gendry said as he pointed to three of the envelopes on the table. “Hot Pie was my roommate, Lommy I work with, and Willow is someone I met a pub a few years back.”

“You know Lommy, Willow, and Hot Pie?” She questioned; her brow arched.

Gendry nodded, “Yep, even have my own invitations to prove it.”

He left the table once more, this time turning the corner to walk down the narrow hall of his apartment. She waited for a few moments before he returned, tossing the invitations on the table in front of her.

Sure enough, his three were identical to the one she had sprawled out in front of her.

King’s Landing was by no means small; it was a bustling city with all types of cultures and people, but not once, in a million years, did she think her neighbor of three years would know any of her friends. They were two completely different people with completely different personalities. She was outgoing and wild, while he seemed to be a bit reserved and secluded.

Arya hardly saw Gendry leave his apartment, and when he did it was never for very long. In fact, he even got his groceries delivered to him. She, on the other hand, would go out and not come home until the wee hours of the morning, either smelling like booze and cigarettes or coffee beans and espressos.

Yet, there was the proof that antisocial Gendry did, in fact, have friends.

“How do you know them?” He asked her, nearly making her jump as he pulled her from her thoughts.

“Uh…well, Hot Pie owns the bakery down the street and every Tuesday he makes a batch of lemon cakes just for me. I’ve been going to his place since I moved into the apartment three years ago.”

“Ahh, so that’s where all the lemon cakes go. I’ll have to come over next Tuesday, then.” He chuckled.

Arya blushed; she hadn’t meant for her cheeks to burn a bright crimson, but her neighbor (who was undeniably handsome) had suggested he should come over to her place. It wasn’t like she _liked_ him or anything, but she may or may not have had suggestive dreams about him. He may be a recluse, but even she wasn’t blind to see that he was definitely packing.

“Right…Willow I’ve known since my freshman days at KLU. She sneaked drinks to me during those first two years since I wasn’t twenty-one. And Lommy was my lab partner sophomore year; we became really good friends after that semester.”

“You went to KLU? How did I not see you there?”

Arya laughed, “Gendry, you’re like four years older than me. You were probably graduated by the time I came.”

“But I did my master’s program there. I was all around campus; I’m sure I would have seen you.”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “If you don’t mind me asking, what is it exactly, that you do? I’ve known you for three years, and I still have no idea.”

“I run my own business. It’s a metal working business, we make infostructure and beams for high rises. I also make swords on the side. Maybe you’ve heard of it, being an architect and all. It’s Waters and Co.”

Arya’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

She had definitely heard of Waters and Co. Her boss didn’t use any other company when it came to her project in downtown King’s Landing. It was a sculpture her boss had been working for years! All of the metal pieces had come from Gendry’s company. She had heard such high praises that she was thinking of hiring them for a piece that she was doing in Bravvos.

“Of course! My boss, Brienne Tarth, uses your company all the time!”

Gendry chuckled, “Miss Tarth is one of our valued clients. I didn’t know she was your boss.”

“Yeah…talk about small world.” She sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. She hadn’t realized that Gendry had so much more to him then what he let on. Not to mention he knew nearly everyone she did in King’s Landing.

“So, what about the other three, who are they?” he gestured to the other remaining wedding invitations sitting to Arya’s left.

She sighed, picking up sister’s invitation. It was a light pink, with lilies adorning the corners. She hadn’t yet peaked at the actual invitation, but if the envelop was any indication, then it would be elegantly made.

“This one is from my sister. I recognize that handwriting anywhere. With me being gone for six weeks and with no access to my email, I had no idea that my siblings were getting married. I guess the figured that I would eventually get the invitation.” She turned the pick envelope around, slicing her finger under the lip with ease. She dug into the ripped seal and pulled out a shimmer invitation. It was a pristine cardstock, embellished with engraved wildflower emblems around the edge. The invitation itself was a silvery-white with the wildflowers dusted in loose leaf gold. There were sparkles lightly covering the entire invitation, giving it the illusion that it shined.

She had to admit, her sister outdid herself, because the invitation looked so beautiful, Arya was scared to ruin it.

“She’s marrying Theon. He’s…well…he’s kind of like my brother. His parents were my parent’s best friends. They died when he was seven, so we took him in after that. He was always a ladies man when we were growing up, so the fact my sister-of all people-is marrying him surprises the shit out of me.”

Arya moved to pick up Jeyne’s invitation, unknowingly scowling as she did so.

“I’m guessing you aren’t going to that one.”

Arya shrugged, “It’s…complicated. We don’t have a very good past, so…I mean if anything, it’s free food and booze.”

She then picked up Bran and Meera’s invitation, smiling widely. Arya was happy for them both; her brother and best friend were getting married; how could she not be happy? She had secretly been wanting them to get married since they started dating at the young age of fourteen.

“This one…this one I am so excited for. It’s my brother’s and my best friend; they’re getting married.” She couldn’t contain the grin on her face. It was beaming from ear to ear, the giddiness evident.

“You brother dated your best friend? Isn’t that against girl code, or something?”

Arya nearly fell from her chair with laughter. “What are you, twelve? No! Besides, Meera was my brother’s girlfriend before she was my best friend. We became friends because she was always around; the added perk: she just so happened to like everything I did.”

She remembered the day Bran came home with a girl at his side, she was taller than him at the time and looked as if she could beat Robb and Jon’s asses with ease. Sansa was definitely intimidated by her, but Arya wanted to get to know her as soon as she could. It wasn’t hard, considering they hit it off right out the gate, and as their relationship began to grow as a couple so did Arya and Meera’s as friends.

Even when Bran had his accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down, Meera was there. She never left his side. That’s when Arya knew that she would be in their lives for the rest of their lives.

“So, six weddings then. You’ll have a busy summer.” He disappeared into the kitchen then, and Arya could hear the rummaging of glasses before he emerged with two large pints of what looked like a dark ale.

“So will you. Three weddings are a lot.” She gladly took the glass, taking a long swing. She moaned in delight; not having Westerosi beer in six weeks had really thrown her out of it. It wasn’t like Bravvosi beer was bad, it just wasn’t what she was used to.

Gendry took his own swing, “Yeah…sucks I’ll have to do it alone.”

She really should have kept her thoughts a bay, because really, it was stupid thought. Why would she even entertain the idea? There would be no way that Gendry would agree to such a stupid idea…but that didn’t stop Arya from asking the question.

“Why don’t we go together?”

She regretted the question as soon as it passed her lips, and from the look on Gendry’s face, he was so sure about the idea.

“Are you serious?” he asked.

Again, she should have snuffed the idea right then and there. Tell him it was ludicrous, and she didn’t know what she was saying, but she didn’t, and she continued on her tangent.

“Why not? You’re single, I’m single…and going to weddings single is just a shit show waiting to happen. At least this rate, we can pretend for our friends and family’s sake, that we are seeing someone.”

“What makes you think I’m single?” He diverted the question.

Arya raised her brow, “Do you really want me to answer that? Look, I’ve been your neighbor for almost four years now. Not once have you brought someone home, and you don’t say out long enough for me to think you were over at someone’s place.”

“Fine, you got me there…but why? I’m okay with being single…even if all my friends are getting married.” He tried to dodge answering, because deep down he thought the idea was brilliant.

“Gendry, I’m twenty-six and my twenty-three-year-old brother is getting married before me. Not to mention, my eighteen-year-old brother has been in a relationship with the same girl since he was twelve. If I show up to another family junction without someone on my arm, I will never hear the end it from my mother. She already thinks that I work too much! Imagine her face if I show up to Sansa and Bran’s wedding with you, she’ll be ecstatic.” She confessed.

Gendry let out a heavy sigh. She did have a point. Hot Pie had been asking him when he was finally going to settle down. Even his sister was getting weary of waiting.

“Fine. But after that we go back to being civil neighbors. Deal?” He raised his glass, waiting for her to clink hers against his.

Arya’s lips turned into a wicked smile and she cheered her glass with Gendry’s, “Deal.”


	2. Part 2: The Weddings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya and Gendry got to wedding number 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I was going to group all the weddings into one part...but it just got too long, so it is broken up into the six individual parts

Part Two: The Weddings

Arya made quick work at sending out the RSVP’s for each of the six weddings. Each invitation had a check stating she would attend and that she wouldn’t be alone. Naturally, her sister called her as soon as she received her RSVP, wanting every little detail about the person Arya would be bringing to her and their brother’s wedding.

“Who are they? Is it a boy or a girl? Are they handsome or beautiful? Do they have all their teeth? Are they smart? Did you meet them in Bravvos? Tell me who you are bringing!” Sansa exclaimed as soon as Arya answered her phone. There was no ‘Hello, how are you?’ or ‘How was your trip to Bravvos?’ just a series of asinine questions Arya didn’t feel like answering.

“Oh, I’m doing great, thanks for asking!” She said sarcastically. “My trip to Bravvos was enlightening and I got a promotion!”

Sansa grumbled on the other line, “Yeah, yeah…I get it. Sorry. How have you been?”

“Good, actually, now that I’m back in KL. Bravvos was great, but I did miss my tiny apartment.” She said truthfully as she slumped herself on her couch. Nym was nestled beside her, with her head placed firmly on her lap.

“And what about your family, didn’t miss us did you?”

Arya rolled her eyes. Her sister had a way of turning a conversation sour, even if she was half joking. Arya hadn’t been back to Winterfell since she left after her high school graduation. It had been eight years since she actually saw her family in person, and although she did talk to them regularly, she did crave to see them. It was about time she when back home, and before her impeding sibling’s weddings, she was planning a trip to visit.

“Was getting married an excuse to get me to come up there?” she teased.

“No, but that would have been a good idea.”

Arya shook her head, “Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“I’m just excited to see you! I know mother is elated and Meera can’t shut up about it. But can you believe that Bran and she decided to have their wedding just weeks after mine?! It won’t be upstaged, of course, but theirs will be nice. I heard that it was going to be held in the swamplands of the Neck. And outside, at that! Can you imagine the humidity? I mean…”

Arya let her sister ramble, tuning out of the conversation as soon as it started to turn into Sansa’s dismays. It was nice to talk to her sister, but this crazed version, the one where she is so consumed with wedding preparation and whether or not Bran’s will be better than hers was not the sister she wanted to speak to. But it was better to let her talk, ignoring her words altogether.

“Arya, did you hear a word I said?” She heard her sister’s voice come through the receiver.

“What?”

“Gods, even over the phone you can be daft. I said that Jeyne is having her wedding in the Vale at Eyrie Casino. Apparently her fiancée is Petyr Baelish’s nephew and he insisted they hold it there. Talk about a spectacle.”

“So free booze and a chance to gamble. Honestly, sounds like fun.” Arya shrugged. She had thought about not going to Jeyne’s wedding, but if she was big enough to send her an invite, then Arya supposed that she could take the liberty of actually attending. “Maybe I’ll hit the jackpot.”

“Wait, you’re going?” Sansa sounded truly surprised at Arya’s revelation. It was no secret that she and Jeyne hated each other, but they were adults now, so why not put petty childish feuds aside?

“Yes, I’m going. Jeyne invited me.”

“Well I know that, she told me she would. I just didn’t think you would go.

_I didn’t think I would either_

“I’ve grown up since then, Sans. Besides, if Petyr Baelish is hosting it, then it’s sure to be a showstopper.”

There was silence on the other end and Arya knew her sister was trying to compose herself to not say the wrong thing. “Well, I’m glad to hear. Look, I have to go, mother is asking about the bridesmaid’s dresses. Too bad you aren’t in the wedding party; I would have loved to have you as my Maid of Honor.”

“Well you know me…don’t like the attention. But I promise to get you an awesome wedding gift.” She smiled.

Sansa chuckled, “I’ll talk to you soon! Oh, and I can’t wait to meet that wedding guest of yours.”

Arya shook her head, “Bye!”

The call ended and Arya sighed, tossing her phone to the other side of her couch. She didn’t want to tell Sansa about Gendry, because frankly, it was none of her sister’s business. It wasn’t like she was ashamed to say anything about him, she would just rather keep it a surprise. It would be nice to see her family’s reaction when she and Gendry walked into Sansa’s wedding. Sure, there would be questions, but nothing they couldn’t answer.

Before she had left his apartment from picking up Nym, they sat down a devised a well thought out plan to deceive their friends and her family. They thought of what questions would be asked and how to answer them; even going as far as learning each other’s family just incase something were to come up.

It was funny really, for Gendry knew more about her than any of her exes and they weren’t even a real couple. Luckily, they just had to keep up the façade for a month or two. Then, after the weddings were said and done, they could go back to being friendly neighbors.

Everything was meticulously laid out, and the weeks leading up to the first wedding was no different.

Arya wanted to coordinate outfits; make sure that their fake relationship could hold up to even the most detail-oriented people (she meant her sister). She had taken Gendry’s measurements and took the liberty of getting him a decently tailored suit that could match with anything she had decided to wear. Of course, she wasn’t trying to break the bank, so she figured that wearing the same outfit to each wedding would be the best way to go.

Of course, she would wear something a little nicer when it came to her sister’s wedding, but that was besides the point.

“I don’t understand why this is necessary.” Gendry whined as he stood in front of his full-length mirror. Arya had forced him into the suit she had gotten him to see if it laid well on his shoulders. She could get most of his measurements, but with him being at least two feet taller than her, she couldn’t get the length of his shoulders as precise as she wanted to.

Arya groaned, completely annoyed at the fact that she had to explain herself, yet again, as to why this was important. “Like I said before, we have to look as if we are on the same wavelength. If we show up with you in a plaid shirt and khakis and me in a nice evening dress, people are going to think that we don’t live together.”

“We don’t live together.” He stated matter of fact.

“Exactly! If we are trying to fool our friends and my family, then we have to at least somewhat match.”

Gendry rolled his eyes but continued to allow her to look over the fitted suit on his body. He had to admit that the suit looked nice and, despite her struggle to get the right measurements, fit like a glove.

“I think it looks good.” He said with a smirk. He noticed Arya blush, but she quickly dashed her face away to hide it.

“It does. Perfect for tomorrow. Now, get changed and get a good nights rest, we have an early day come the morning.”

She exited his room, allowing him privacy to change back into his normal clothes.

She’d be lying if she didn’t think that Gendry looked quite dashing in the suit she had made for him. Of course, it nearly never existed, considering he protested the idea since she sprung it on him just a few weeks prior. He didn’t need a suit, she knew that. He could make a grocery bag look good, and no one care. She just wanted to do something nice for him for agreeing to her ludicrous idea. Arya wanted Gendry to be the, for lack of better words, ‘belle of the ball.’

That, and she didn’t mind ogling him while his muscles flexed under the suit.

“What time do we have to be at the venue?” Gendry asked as he made his way to his small living room. 

“Eleven. The wedding is at twelve, then the reception is scheduled for two and goes into the evening.”

Gendry nodded, “Okay, I’ll stop by your apartment at 9:30 and we can leave to grab some breakfast beforehand.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Arya gave a small smile before turning on her heel to leave Gendry’s small abode.

It was a bit strange making plans with him, like they really were a couple. Aside from their conversation that led up to this brilliant idea, they had hardly spoken but a few words with one another. They were polite; saying ‘hello’ as they passed each other in the hallway that lead to their apartments. Gendry had helped her with her groceries a few times, especially when she thought she could grab all the bags in one go.

Other than that, they were basically strangers.

Granted, they had learned more about each other in the last two weeks then they did in the last three years of living down the hall.

The day she had suggested this ludicrous idea, she had spent four hours over his place having a genuine conversation about their lives. He had offered several more beers and Nym had taken a seat on his couch, dozing off to their voices. It was bit domestic, and something Arya quite enjoyed.

She wasn’t used to domestic life because she never had a domestic life. Her relationships weren’t technically relationships, but more like two-week flings that last only five days. She didn’t have time for domesticity; between her job and her lack of socialism it was just never a forethought.

So she jumped at the opportunity to experience some sort of domestic life, even if it was pretend.


	3. Part 2a: The Wedding of Harold "Hot Pie" Percival & Reza Castor-Smith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, the chapter count went up because of each wedding's individual story line...

Wedding 1: Harold “Hot Pie” Percival & Reza Castor-Smith

Gendry was on time, and as usual, Arya was running late. Her alarm hadn’t gone off until a quarter to nine, leaving her only forty-five minutes to take a shower, to do her hair, apply her makeup, and squeeze herself into the torture device known as Spanx to make sure her silk green dress laid as sooth as possible on her body. It was nearly as bad as a corset, and she should know, her mother made her wear one during Sansa’s sixteenth birthday party.

By the time her doorbell rang, she was still in her robe, drying her hair with a blow dryer in one hand and curling her hair with the other. The task proved difficult, and she had burned her ear on several occasions.

She put down each fire hazard and shuffled out of her bathroom, opening the door for Gendry to enter. He looked stunning, and with his hair actually combed and styled, he looked even more handsome, if that were remotely possible. He was clad in his suit that she got him and with matching dress shoes, he looked like he could be on the cover of GQ magazine. Arya hadn’t mean to stare and leave him standing in her doorway, but he was too hot to _not_ look at. 

She really shouldn’t have been thinking of her neighbor in that way, but it wasn’t her fault that the gods had built him like a Greek god.

“You’re not ready?” He asked, shaking her out of her stupor.

Arya shook her head, “No. My alarm didn’t go off, so I’m running a tad bit behind. I’ll just pin my hair back and put on some light make-up and I’ll be good to go.”

She let Gendry enter and offered him a seat on her couch before returning to her bedroom to finish her sad attempt and fixing her hair. No matter what she tried, it just wouldn’t stay in place, so she opted to pull it up into a high decorative bun, letting a few strands wisp down to frame her face. She applied very little make-up; just enough to bring out the color of her cheeks.

Her dress, she waited for last. She didn’t want to run the chance of getting make-up on it, or in her case, burning it with a curling iron.

It had been a while since she last wore the silk green dress; she had bought it for a charity event her mother was throwing before she left for KLU. Just that once, had she worn it, and left it in her closet to collect dust. She wasn’t sure why she thought to pack it in her things when she moved, but she was glad that she did, because it saved her from spending money a dress she was sure to never wear again.

It was a bit snug, but still zipped, if given some force. She was able to zip the dress to her mid back before it snagged, leaving her arms in a twisted mess as she tried (and failed) to get the zipper to close. Grumbling, she shuffled out of her bedroom to meet where Gendry was chilling.

“Can you help me?” She turned so that her back was facing him, leaving her back completely exposed.

“Ye-yeah…um…sure.”

Arya felt his presence behind her; his body looming over hers and his hands came to back of her dress. His fingertips brushed a bit of her bare back, sending gooseflesh to erupt throughout her body. The feeling was enticing, and she wanted more. But there were boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed, so Arya remained stagnant, allowing Gendry to proceed with his efforts.

“It’s stuck.” He tried to force the zipper up, but it would not move. She could feel his struggle and she hoped to the gods that it didn’t rip. After a few minutes of finagling, Gendry was finally able to dislodge the pesky zipper and pull it up to close her in the dress. He hooked the small clasp at the top, securing the dress in place.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

Arya smiled and turned to grab her shawl from the bar stool and her clutch from high countertop. She gave Nym a hearty pat before pulling her door open and allowing herself and Gendry to exit her apartment.

The drive to the venue was silent. Arya tried to muster the courage to converse with Gendry was he drove them, but she was unsure of what to say. She’d never been in a car with him, and although they seemed to have plenty to talk about when she suggested this plan, it was if there was nothing left to discuss. Perhaps it was the awkwardness of it all.

When they finally reached the venue, Gendry had become quite the gentleman and opened Arya’s passenger side door before she had a chance to exit the car herself. He outstretched a hand for her to take, and walked to the venue, arm in arm.

“You think people will notice?” Arya whispered to him as they made their way to the entrance to the venue.

“Notice what? That we aren’t a couple?”

She nodded.

“I don’t know. Besides you, Hot Pie and Reza are the only people I know here.”

That was true for Arya as well. She only knew Hot Pie, and in turn Reza, but she had no connection to the other hundreds of people in attendance. Maybe a few customer’s from Hot Pie’s bakery; the regulars were sure to be there, but other than that they were all strangers. Maybe they didn’t think this through. Were they really pretending to be something just to impress a few people?

“Should we even pretend to be a couple then?” She asked.

Gendry sighed, “If it means Hot Pie will stop asking me when I’m going to settle down, then yes. Besides, I can keep the creeps away. You know, the ones that try to get a girl to their hotel room just because they came alone to a wedding.”

He had a point. She didn’t have the patience to deal with stupidity.

They finally reached the entrance, giving the greeter at the door their names before being escorted to their seats.

It didn’t take long for the wedding hall to fill with guests and soon music filled the air, signally the ceremony was about to start. Each guest stood, watching as the wedding party paraded down the aisle. Hot Pie was the first to make his entrance, smiling broadly as he walked to the podium.

Arya could see the elation on his face, and it made her smile. She could tell that he was ready to be married and couldn’t wait to see his bride walk down that aisle.

Soon after, the bridesmaids and groomsmen shuffled down, splitting off into to two separate lines once they reached the podium. A little girl and boy skipped down the aisle, throwing white rose petals and carrying a satin pillow with fake rings glued to the middle. It was adorable to watch as they giggled and smiled down the runway.

Finally, the music shifted, a soft ballad filling the room.

The large oak doors at the base of the wedding all opened, revealing the stunning bride in her white gown and flowing veil. Her father held a firm grip on her arm as they began to stride to the soft lull of the music.

Arya turned to see Hot Pie’s face and saw the tears stream down his cheeks. He was looking in awe at Reza as she cascaded down the aisle, her train flowing behind her. She could see the love they each had for each other and Arya could only hope that one day she would have someone look at her that way when she finally decided to say, ‘I do.’

When Reza finally reached the front podium, Hot Pie took her hands firmly.

They recited their vows, promising to love and cherish each other until the day came when they were no longer bound to Earth, but to the air around them.

It was a beautiful ceremony, one that was filled with love and joy, and although it lingered on a bit of the long side, was still done perfectly.

With the rice thrown and the bride and groom off to take their pictures, the guests were escorted to the banquet hall for some light hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.

Arya was quick to stuff her mouth the tiny little sandwiches and wash it down with champagne, for she had nothing in her stomach since the night before.

“Hungry, are we?” Gendry chuckled as he nibbled on his own finger sandwich.

“Ravenous. Or did you forget we couldn’t stop and get something to eat before the wedding.” She took another bite, nearly moaning out loud with delight.

“Well whose fault was that?”

“To my defense, my alarm didn’t go off.”

“Excuses, excuses.” He shook his head, taking a sip of his own champagne as Arya continued to munch on artisan finger sandwiches.

They made light conversations, genuinely enjoying each other’s company. It was nothing intriguing, just basking at how beautifully the ceremony was done and how drunk they were planning on getting during the reception. Gendry had reminded Arya that he drove them to the wedding, thus he had to drive them back home afterwards. She simply shrugged and down another flute of champagne.

By the time the bride and groom had made their appearance, Arya was already starting to feel a slight buzz…and it wasn’t even five o’clock yet. She opted to for water, not wanting to ruin all the fun before the party was to truly start.

The guests gathered in the reception hall and Gendry and Arya took their seats at their reserved table.

There were four other guests at their table; a young couple and an older couple.

“Bride or groom?” The older lady asked as they all took their seats.

“Groom.” She and Gendry said at the same time.

“The wedding was lovely, wasn’t it? Are you two thinking about tying the knot?” The old lady continued to pry.

“Well-” Arya wasn’t sure how to answer. Luckily, she didn’t have to.

“Mother!” The young woman scolded her mother. “I’m sorry about that. She’s just a bit overzealous about the whole deal. She’s hoping that my boyfriend and I get married soon.”

“‘s alright.” Gendry mumbled, not really paying attention to the other party goers sharing their table. “We aren’t thinking ‘bout marriage. At least not now.”

Arya’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “At least not now? Oh, so you’re planning on proposing in the future then, darling?”

Arya couldn’t help but tease and she got a laugh at the way Gendry’s shoulders tensed when she said ‘darling.’

“Oh, you two are adorable!” The older woman exclaimed, and Arya couldn’t help but giggle. At least they were able to fool their table guests, but the real testament came when they had to confront Hot Pie.

The Newlyweds entered the reception hall then, the DJ introducing them as ‘Mr. and Mrs. Harold Percival.’ The room erupted in cheers as they came upon the dance floor, going right into their first dance and husband and wife.

It was beautiful to watch as they twirled around, pure joy etched on their faces.

The rest of reception went by in a blur.

There wad dancing, eating, cake throwing and, of course drinking.

Arya had stayed away from the alcohol, opting to actually enjoy the wedding and not have to struggle to remember what happened. She and Gendry mostly stayed at their table, enjoying whatever the wedding had to offer. It wasn’t until that guests were allowed to give their congratulations; did they finally rise from their table and greet the happy couple.

“Arry! Gendry! I didn’t know you two knew each other!” He exclaimed.

“We actually live down the hall from one another.” Arya explained. “And…we’re actually dating.”

Hot Pie’s eyes nearly bugged from his head, “What! I mean…Gendry, it’s about time!”

“Hot Pie – “

“Whenever this one came around the bakery, he wouldn’t stop talking about his neighbor. Kept sayin’ how pretty she was and that she was smart and funny…If I’d known he was talkin’ ‘bout you I would have stopped pesterin’ him about askin’ you out!”

Arya lifted a perfectly trimmed brow, “Oh…did he, now?”

Gendry blushed and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, “Uh…I don’t think I said _those_ things.” 

“Stop bein’ humble! He also said that he didn’t mind-”

“Okay! Well, Hot Pie, we just wanted to come over and give you and Reza our congratulations.” Gendry swiftly cut in, stopping Hot Pie from embarrassing him further.

“Thank you, Gendry.” Reza smiled, grabbing onto Hot Pie’s arm to lean into him closer.

Arya noticed the look in her eyes; a look she new all too well.

“You look stunning, Reza, truly. But Gendry and I will let you greet your other guests so you can get out of here.” She gave a sly wink to Reza, letting her know to enjoy the rest of the night.

They shuffled off, and by the time they were ready to leave, the sun had dipped low and the other wedding guests were starting to head off. Arya grabbed her clutch and shawl from their table and lead Gendry to car.

“I enjoyed today.” She said truthfully as they walked through the parking lot to his car.

“I did, too.”

“Although, we should be livelier. That old woman kept staring us down while she was on the dance floor; probably thought it was weird a couple at a wedding weren’t dancing.”

“We have five more weddings, Arya. I think we can get the hang of it by the time your brother’s wedding rolls along.”

“I hope so, because at this rate, we won’t be able to fool a fish.” She scoffed.

She climbed into his car, sighing as she leans back into the leather seat. It had been a long day and she wanted nothing more than throw off her heels and soak her aching muscles in a long hot bubble bath. She nearly dozes off as Gendry drives to their apartment, completely wiped from the day.

How was she supposed to do five more weekends of weddings? It was exhausting just going to one, not to mention she had to keep up the façade of being in a pretend relationship with her brooding neighbor. Albeit, she wasn’t complaining about said brooding neighbor, but his distance was evident, and they wouldn’t be able to convince her family at the way they were going.

“Why don’t we just have fun?” Gendry suddenly asked.

Arya looked over at him, lazily. “Hmm?”

“Why do we just enjoy the weddings without worry about what people think? I felt like we were a bit disconnected today and well, you’re right, we won’t convince anyone. I say we let loose and just enjoy each other’s company.”

Arya perked then, taking in his words.

“Five more weddings…that’s a lot, but it would be nice to just enjoy it. Although, we’ll have to kiss, eventually. There is no way my family will be convinced otherwise.”

“One kiss, at your sister’s wedding, then when we go to your brother’s there will be no doubt.”

“One kiss…I look forward to it. Oh, by the way, what was Hot Pie going to say before-”

“Nice try, Stark, but not going to happen. Now shut up and let me drive.”

Arya smiled. She had to admit, she was looking forward to what those five weddings had to offer.


	4. Part 2b: The Wedding of Lommy Greenhands & Lok Meyer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding number two leaves for a lot more questions than answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot woot! An update! 
> 
> Sorry, I'v super busy and tired this week. I am doing Gendrya week, just not uploading until Saturday or Sunday. I have two about half way written and I don't know if I plan to do more. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this update!

Arya had a week to compose herself before the next wedding. Hot Pie’s revelation had only piqued her interest in her brooding neighbor, and she found herself often thinking of him. Even when he dropped her off at her door, trying to be the gentleman she knew he was, had made her smile.

It such a funny feeling, to have her grin widen along her face, for she rarely did it.

There wasn’t much in her life she could smile for, even when it came to her family. Her mother always left her with a scowl, and there was a 50/50 chance her sister could rile her up into a dishearten smirk. Rob could make her smile, but only a small turn of her lips and her younger brothers were too busy with themselves to even try. The only ones who could make her smile as big as Gendry had during Hot Pie’s wedding was her father and Jon. But both were predisposed.

Jon was deployed beyond The Wall and her father was buried six feet beneath the cold earth.

And although her job and her life were good excuses to be happy and smile, she found that even those couldn’t keep the bad memories at bay.

For the first time since her father’s death, she was actually okay. She didn’t feel the pressures of work weighing down on her or even struggle to juggle life. She was content, and therefore relived. Sure, weddings can tend to be stressful, even if she wasn’t the one getting married, but venturing on this mini adventure with her handsome neighbor was turning out to be a good thing…at least she hoped.

Gendry hadn’t spoken to her since Hot Pie’s wedding, and with Lommy’s looming just days away, she had to meet up with him to talk game plan.

They already knew what they were going to wear, her dress and his suit still very much capable to present, but they hadn’t talked about the ‘fun’ aspect of it all. Was it supposed to be a surprise, or were they trying to figure shit out before they presented themselves as a ‘couple’ to Lommy?

It was eating her, the not knowing, and although she had near a month off from work, she still had certain deadlines to finish; plans to draw up. But her mind just wouldn’t let her. She would start to sketch out a design for a building, but then her mind would immediately wonder to what Gendry would be doing. Was in his apartment working, or was he at his warehouse that she now knew he owned?

Sometimes she could wander to her door, peaking through the peephole to catch a glimpse of Gendry walking by. It’s not like she knew his schedule; it could be unpredictable, but she knew when he would be coming in and out of his apartment. She could hear him just outside her door, even before she began looking (more like stalking).

Arya knew he liked to go on runs at six in the morning, and he would come back around seven thirty. There was a high probability he would be shirtless, with his sweat glistening down his well-defined abs, and she would be able to peak through that small peephole and marvel at what the gods had given him.

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t ogling him, but it was near impossible, and sure she had started her glances a few days leading up to Hot Pie’s wedding, but even before then she knew he was good looking. Anyone with a set of well working eyes could see that. Besides, he really shouldn’t have been walking about their floor with nothing on but his jogging shorts, who does that?

Arya was stuck daydreaming about him…again…when a knock from her front door broke her spell.

She wasn’t expecting anyone today, but knowing her luck, her sister could very well make a surprise visit all the way from Winterfell just to make sure she was eating okay. Or, it could be Doordash; she didn’t remember putting in an order, but there was a possibility she could have subconsciously ordered ice cream to curb her growing thoughts.

Pulling herself from her work desk, she shuffled to her door, throwing it open without seeing who could possibly be behind it.

Maybe she should have taken those extra few seconds, because it would have saved her a whole lot of embarrassment of she had.

Gendry was standing in her doorway, fresh from work. His hair was disheveled and there were bits of soot splotched on his upper arms, were exposed due to the tank he was wearing. He was probably working another commission, his time well spent working with metal. But aside from his tossed look, he was still gorgeously put together.

It was unfair, really, that he could still look that good, even after a long day at work, while Arya was standing in pink fuzzy slippers, a Sailor Moon t-shirt that cut up just above her belly button and an old pair of pajama shorts that seen better days. Her teal robe was hanging off of one shoulder and her hair was pulled into a messy bun atop her head. She had no make up on, so her skin was splotchy and there was a glaring pimple on her forehead that had sprung up the night before. She truly looked a mess, which on a normal day, would be fine.

But the fact that she was dressed like this in front of him made her cringe.

“Nice pjs.” He chuckled as he pushed himself through her front door.

Arya cheeks turned a bright crimson, which she tried to hide as she swung the door close behind him. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

“Obviously. But it’s cool. I’m basically naked when I work from home.” He said casually.

She really didn’t need that visual (yes she did) and tried her best to let the pictures of Gendry’s naked body prancing around his apartment leave her thoughts.

“So what brings you here today?” She tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, hoping her embarrassment didn’t show.

Gendry shrugged, “I wanted to stop by, see what you were doing. If you were busy or not.”

“Oh, well, not really. Just trying to finish up some sketches for a few clients. They aren’t due for a few months, but I thought I’d get a head start.” She answered casually.

Gendry crossed her living room, tucking away behind the half wall to where her desk stood in front of her bay windows. It was the only area in the small apartment that allowed for natural sunlight, and she opted to place her workstation there.

She watched as he shuffled through her sketches, nodding to himself with each passing picture.

Normally, she would be upset or hesitant that someone was looking through her personally things, but with Gendry, she didn’t mind. If anything, it was payback for the time she pried into his personal drawings when he was getting fitted for his suit. She only peeked, taking a glance at some of the personal sculptures he had drawn up. They weren’t apart of a commission, that much she knew, but before she could get a good look at what kind of sculptures they were, he had emerged from his room.

But this was different.

He was looking at her work while she stared at him doing so.

“These are really good.” He finally said as he laid the last sketch down on her workstation. “I see the time you put into them. Are they for clients?”

Arya nodded, “Most of them are, yes. But that last one…it’s mine. It is what I want my house to be like.”

“So, you want to build your own house, then?”

“Someday. When that day will be, I don’t know.”

Gendry smiled, “I’m sure that day will be here before you know it.”

Arya smiled and turned her head to hide her growing blush. It hadn’t left her cheeks, not since Gendry came through her door, but she’d be damned if she let him see. Turning towards her kitchen, she began to pull two mugs from the cupboard, filling them with hot tea.

She silently handed Gendry the mug, and he gladly took it.

“Are you ready for Lommy’s wedding?” He asked as he sipped his tea.

Arya nodded, “It’s just another wedding. I’m sure I can handle it.”

“Mmm, but are you ready for this one?”

She crinkled her brows in confusion, “Is there something I should know about Lommy’s wedding?”

“More like his fiancée. I’ve met Lok, and he’s a character. His parents own a brewery, so they will be supplying the alcohol. He’s also very boisterous; will try to get you to dance, I’m sure.” Gendry snorted. “I got sloshed at on his party’s; made me strip for the whole crowd. I wouldn’t believe it if it weren’t for the video.”

“What!” Arya exclaimed. “You getting sloshed? I don’t believe that. You hardly had a drink at Hot Pie’s wedding.”

Gendry nodded, “I know…but university Gendry was a very different man to business owner Gendry. I have rep to protect.”

“Well sounds like you very well might be getting sloshed at Lommy’s wedding then. I mean, it’s only fair. I did get a bit drunk at Hot Pie’s.”

“So you’re driving then?”

“I suppose, just know, I can’t carry you up the stairs, so don’t get too hammered.” She chuckled.

Gendry let out a barking laugh, giving Arya chills down her spine. She liked his laugh, and he so rarely did it, that it made her feel a bit giddy. It was almost like when she smiled, how only he could pull that huge grin to appear on her face.

“As you wish, mi’lady.”

* * *

This time, Arya was ready before Gendry. She didn’t want to have a repeat of Hot Pie’s wedding, so she made sure her alarm was on and squared away for her to hear.

She woke as soon as the alarm chimed and readied herself for the wedding.

Lommy’s wedding started at three, a near four hours later than Hot Pie’s, which meant the reception would last well into the night.

Arya allowed herself a bit more sleep, considering Gendry hadn’t left her apartment until near one in the morning. He had decided to stay, and she had no objections. They ordered out and even watched a few movies she had on her saved Netflix list. It was a humble night, and she enjoyed every last minute of it. A few hours before he left to wander down the hall, they had decided to play a well-deserved game of Scrabble. She lost of course, she was never one with words, and Gendry had kicked her butt by fifty points.

Their time together had fluttered something inside of her, something she was not used to. Sure, she had infatuations and lust for other people, but nothing of what she felt whenever she was around Gendry. She obviously hadn’t expected to feel this way; this whole tryst was just supposed to be about having someone to go to a wedding to, maybe deceive a few friends and family, but never about falling in lov-

Nope. She was NOT falling in love.

That was impossible.

She didn’t know Gendry. At least like that. And although they had basically told each other what they could to help further their deceit. She knew his favorite color, his favorite food, even what shampoo he likes to use, but that didn’t warrant enough for her to start falling in love with him…did it?

Arya shook the thought from her head and continued to ready herself.

She pulled on the same satin green dress she used for Hot Pie’s wedding but had the ample time to actually do her hair and makeup the way she wanted. She opted for a smokey eye; a stark contrast to the green she was wearing. She let her hair cascade down to her shoulders in loose curls, letting it frame her long face. Her grey eyes stood out behind the smokiness of her eyes, giving a striking appearance.

She took Gendry’s advice, and dressed like she was going to club, rather than a wedding.

He arrived at her door just a few minutes after she was done, and she grabbed the same shall and clutch she used for the previous wedding, along with her car keys.

They felt so foreign in her had; she usually walked or took the subway to work. The last time she has used her car was nearly six months prior when she went to visit Bran and Meera when they were staying in Storm’s End for vacation. If everything still worked fine, she should still have half a tank of gas ready for use.

“Wow.” Gendry said with wide eyes as Arya opened her front door.

“What?” She looked up and down her body, looking for anything out of place. “What is it? I got something in my teeth, or something?”

Gendry shook his head, “No…uh you look…”

“Ugh!” She groaned. “I knew it, too much on the makeup, I should go wash it off.”

She turned to head back towards her bedroom, but not before Gendry pulled her arm to stop her.

“No! I was going to say you look beautiful.”

A blush erupted across her face, stretching across the bridge of her nose and down her neck. “Oh, thank you.”

“Now, come on. We don’t want to be late.”

She nodded and closed the door behind her. They took the elevator down to the parking garage, and Arya led Gendry to her small VW Bug. She glanced between her car and Gendry and wondered if he would be able to fit in the small car.

“Don’t worry, if I can fit myself in a smart car, then this should be a breeze.”

He rounded the car and headed towards the passenger side, waiting for her to click it open. Once the door unlocked, he climbed in with ease, resting easily in the car. Arya gathered her dress and slid into the drivers side, plunging her key into the ignition. She turned it, and although there was a bit of struggle for the car to turn, it did and as she suspected, there was a little more than half a tank left of gas.

“How long has it been since you drove?” Gendry asked. He brushed a finger across the dashboard, gathering up a layer of dust that had formed.

Arya shrugged, “I don’t know…a few months, I guess. I don’t really drive so…”

“Will the car get us there?”

“Hey! She’s only seven years old. It may have been awhile, but she’s still got life in her.” Arya exclaimed and she rubbed the side of her door. “It will get us there, I promise.”

They engaged in light conversation as she drove them to the wedding venue. It was farther out than Hot Pie’s and she had taken a few wrong turns to get there, causing them to be five minutes late. Luckily, so were the two grooms and it allowed Gendry and Arya the time to take their seats.

The venue was magnificent.

It was right on the base of the ocean and looked more like a Spanish villa then a venue. They were seated under an open canopy with the soft light of the afternoon spilling into the isle. Cherry blossoms covered the white stain of the runway and the officiant was waiting patiently at the altar.

The whole set up exuded money, no doubt from Lommy’s fiancée’s family.

Arya only imagined what the reception hall looked like.

As she scanned the room of guests, she noticed that most were dressed in light casual clothing and she and Gendry were the only ones in formal wear. She turned to him and could see the realization on his face.

“Is it just me, or are we way over dressed?” She asked in a hush tone.

“We do seem a bit too formal. But I didn’t see otherwise.” He agreed.

A girl about Arya’s age turned towards them with a slight annoyance, “It was on the invitation. ‘Casual wear recommended, but as always, clothing optional.”

Arya didn’t recall seeing that on the invitation, although she wasn’t actually looking. He goal was to send out the RSVP as soon as possible and call it day, so there was a probability that she could have missed that very small detail.

“I thought you said that Lok was a partier…you told me to dress like I was going to a club! Look at all these people. They look like they are ready for a party in the beach, not a club!” She harshly whispered to him.

“I thought it would be that kind of wedding!” he whispered back.

Her response was cut short as soon as the music sounded.

Both grooms had yet to make an appearance, and Arya had the snaking suspicion that they would both enter the area at the same time. One on the one side of the room and they other on the opposite side. There were two entry ways, one on each side of the altar, that were adorned with wreathes of cherry blossoms. Those were the entry ways each groom would enter from.

As the music cascaded around the venue, the guests stood, much like they did at Hot Pie’s wedding.

Arya glanced her way to the entry ways and noticed both of them open, letting each groom to take their stance at the altar.

There were no groomsmen (or women) just the two of them, their parents and the officiant. No spectacle, just them and the vows they were about to take.

Arya had never been to a traditional southern wedding- Hot Pie’s had aspects but was never as traditional as Lommy’s- but she came to realize that hey were fucking long.

The grooms were already late, so the ceremony didn’t start until a good thirty minutes after it was supposed to, and the ceremony itself lasted nearly three hours. By the time the officiant had pronounced them married, it was nearing seven in the evening and Arya was craving a stiff one. Luckily there was no cocktail hour and the ceremony flooded right into the reception hall just across the plaza of the venue.

It wasn’t technically a venue, but rather an overlarge patio that laid about fifty feet from the where the ocean met the earth, and although there was enough space to house all the guest comfortably, Arya noticed that there was a makeshift dance floor just off the patio, going into the even sand.

“I could have worn sandals.” She huffed as she wobbled in the heels she had decided to wear.

“Just throw them off, no will notice.” Gendry suggested.

They walked over to their table and she heeded his advice, throwing off her heels to the side before taking her seat. There only a few others at their table, but they kept to themselves and took the opportunity to dance as soon as it arose.

As Gendry suspected, there was indeed an open bar filled with all kinds of beers that Arya had never heard of. She took the chance to grab a few, just to sample, and noted her favorite ones for the future. Gendry did indulge, although not as much as Arya would have thought.

He had few beers and a shot of tequila, and although far from drunk, he was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.

There was definitely fun involved, even some dancing, to Arya’s surprise; but that had agreed to do just that: have fun.

Laughter echoed around the area when the grooms decided to throw their cake rather than eat it, and Arya had to duck a few times to avoid the flying pastry.

The toasts that were held were hilarious and lighthearted. Even Gendry gave an insightful toast, letting everyone now exactly what Lommy did at the warehouse. It was nice to see their years of friendship, even in the words Gendry spoke. No wonder Lommy had been his first hire when he decided to open his shop.

As the festivities began to die down, Arya took her chance to speak to Lok before someone else snatched up his attention.

She padded over to where he was sitting at the high table, Lommy too engaged with conversation with Gendry to notice.

“Hi! I would like to introduce myself, I’m-”

“Ahhh, so you’re Arya. I’ve heard a bit about you from Lommy.” Lok said before Arya could even muster her name.

“Uhh…yes, I am.”

“Lommy told me about your semester as lab partners. Heard you got into quite a bit of trouble, nearly blowing up the whole science department.”

Arya let out a nervous laugh, “Yeah…chemicals and smoking weed don’t exactly mix.”

“I didn’t know you are Gendry were a thing. I’m sure Lommy would have told me…if he knew.”

“Yeah, it’s all new. We haven’t told many people.” She deflected.

“Well I can see that he really loves you.” Lok mentioned.

Arya twisted her face in confusion, “What?”

Lok nodded, “Yeah, whenever he looks at you, I can see it.”

“Oh…”

“It’s okay, your secret is safe with me. But it was nice meeting you Arya Stark, I hope I get an invitation to the wedding.” He left her with a wink and smirk, rising from his seat and crossing the room to where Lommy and Gendry were standing. She followed her gaze and noticed Gendry staring at her, giving her a genuine smile.

She smiled back, thinking that perhaps she wasn’t the only one who started to feel a certain way.


	5. Part 2c: The Wedding of Willow Heddle and Barlow James

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gendry had a visit from a family member and things happen at Willow's wedding that will shape the rest of their relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo....
> 
> This part took much longer than I thought, not to mention it clocks in at like 5k words. I wanted to dive into Gendry's pov and this will probably be the only time we do that. There are three more weddings and I can't wait to share them. They are all basically planned out and I have the ending of this story already written (i have to write the middle of it). 
> 
> To anyone who is not aware, I will be taking a break from writing after this WIP is completed. I have one more stand alone piece that I will upload after this WIP, and then I will be taking a hiatus. I'm hoping it's only for a few weeks, but knowing how my mental state is at the current moment, it will probably be a few months. I'm not going away forever, just for a few months and I hope to be back by October, preferably (more like November). 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this update! Next one coming next week!

Gendry couldn’t remember the night of Lommy’s wedding.

When he woke in his apartment the next morning, his suit still stuck to his body and his dress shoes unlaced hanging loosely from his feet, he knew that he had gotten completely sloshed. How Arya managed to bring him up the stairs and throw him on his bed was beside him.

Groaning, he pulled him self up from his bed, wiping the drool that had pooled from his mouth as he slept of his drunken stupor. He stumbled from his sheets and barely managed to make it to the toilet before he emptied his alcohol riddled stomach into the bowl.

There wasn’t much that came up, probably due to the fact he had little to eat and most to drink.

His head was pounding, and his body ached, and he craved nothing more than take a long hot shower and drink a very large cup of coffee. As he peeled the sticky suit from his body, he noticed the distinct smell of sea water. His shoes were filled with sand and his hair had bits of seashells and sand grains as he ran his fingers through the rough curls.

For what he amassed, he could safely assume that perhaps he had gone for a late-night dip and Arya had to rescue him before he drowned due to his own stupidity.

He really would have to thank her.

She could have just left him at the venue, Lommy would have made sure he’d had somewhere to sleep, but she didn’t and instead drove him the thirty minutes it took to get back to their flat and drag him up the stairs, even though she promised not to.

His muscles ached as he let the hot water waft around his body. The feeling of the drops cascading down his body eased the tension that was beginning to form in his shoulders, and he sighed in relief. Gendry scrubbed thoroughly, making sure that all of the dirt and sand were out of his hair (and other questionable places) before rinsing himself off and shutting of the shower head.

Plumes of steam billowed from his shower stall as he opened the glass door and he had to use the back of his hand to wipe the condensation that had built up on his mirror.

Gods, he looked a mess.

There were bags under his eyes and his normally freshly kept face was now sporting a five o’clock shadow. His breath probably reeked of whatever alcohol he had consumed and the suit that laid at the edge of the shower was undoubtably ruined by the sea water it had touched. He would have to get a new one, and by turn, replace the suit that Arya had paid for.

He felt bad. No…he felt HORRIBLE.

He promised not to get so sloshed that she would have to make sure he was okay. He promised that he would be a decent wedding companion, but he went and fucked that up.

There was a reason he didn’t drink they way he used back in university. That Gendry was man he didn’t recognize. That Gendry was a man that nearly got expelled. That Gendry was a man that reminded him too much of this father.

But it had been so long, and he thought that he could control it.

He wasn’t an alcoholic; in fact he was far from that. But, there were times in his younger years that, once he started, he had hard time stopping. After his near expulsion, he scaled back his drinking; only consuming one, maybe two, beers before calling it quits. Even at Hot Pie’s wedding, where he had a few flutes of champagne and a whiskey, did he stop before it got out of control.

But it was as if Arya’s permission awakened something within him. Something he should have kept buried for no to ever see.

Yeah…he really fucked up.

He wondered how long it would take Arya to forgive him. They only had a few days until the next wedding, and it would be really awkward if Arya was still mad at him while they pretended to be a couple in front of a person who could see past even Gendry’s bullshit.

Willow would be able to tell something was wrong the moment they step in the venue; she was that good. It also didn’t help that she knew more about Gendry than he cared to admit. In fact, she was the one who convinced him to get some mental help in the first place. Being a bartender, Willow spoke and saw a lot of people. She was probably certified to be a therapist by now.

Gendry huffed in frustration. It was better to get it over with, than to avoid each other until it was time to go to the wedding.

He pulled on a t-shirt and threw on some jogger shorts before shuffling out of his room.

He would get coffee, food, and then apologize to Arya…and maybe pull out his reserve lemon squares to help sate her anger.

Gendry walked out to his living room, passing his small sectional before making his way to the kitchen. If he had noticed the blob on his couch as he passed, he would have been a little quieter when it came to making his coffee, but alas, the massive hangover he was currently sporting prevented him from seeing such tiny details.

He nearly dropped the kettle of hot water when Arya’s head popped over the side of his couch, looking rather furious at her disturbed sleep.

She was still wearing the silk green dress, that was now stained with sea water at the hem. Her make-up was smeared, and the natural curls of her hair made it look like a bird had nested on her head. Gendry noticed that his suit jacket laid around her shoulders, and it gave him some hope that at least he was some sort of gentleman, even in his drunken state.

“You’re awake.” She grumbled, sleep still evident in her voice.

He nodded, “Coffee?”

“Yes, please!” She nearly bolted from the couch and Gendry had to stifle a laugh as she stumbled on the train of her dress. She shrugged off his suit jacket and kicked off the hells that were only strapped to her ankle, the rest of the shoe dragging behind her foot.

She looked much Gendry had when he had awoken, and he wondered if maybe they were both sloshed the night before.

He poured her mug, leaving the sugar and cream on the side so she could make it the way she liked. He was thoroughly surprised when she opted those choices and drank her steaming cup of coffee straight black.

“Mmmh…oh my gods! This is some of the best coffee I’ve ever had. What kind is it?” She moaned as the hot liquid poured down her throat.

Gendry chuckled and pulled the bag of imported coffee from his cupboard, handing her the bag. “It’s from an island call Naath. The beans ferment before being roasted, giving it a sort of hint of beer flavor.”

Arya moaned again as she took another sip, “And I thought Bravvos had good coffee. I’ll have to order some.”

“Take this bag, I have another coming in a few days.” He said.

“Are you sure? I can order my own.”

Gendry nodded, “I’m sure, besides I have to start apologizing someway.”

Arya crinkled her eyebrows in confusion and Gendry’s stomach nearly flipped out of his body. She looked cute when she did that, and it was hard for him to turn his gaze from her.

“Apologize…what for?”

“For, uh…getting completely sloshed last night. That wasn’t fair to you and I can’t imagine it was fun trying to take care of me.” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to suppress his embarrassment.

“Gendry, what are you talking about?”

“Last night…you must’ve carried me up to bed, and I’m huge compared to you! I promised that I wouldn’t do that to you, but I did…I’m sorry.”

Arya laughed, nearly spitting out her coffee, “Gendry, you weren’t that hammered! You could still walk up the stairs. To be honest, I think I got more drunk than you!”

“Then…then how did we get home?”

“Do you not remember anything?” She asked him.

Gendry shook his head. He tried to piece together some bits of the night while he was in the shower, but it was near impossible. Then only thing he did manage to recall was the sweet taste of Jasmine Whiskey, a brand of whiskey Lommy’s husband had founded. There was a warning that came along the bottle, but it was too fuzzy for Gendry to remember.

“You were talking to Lommy when Lok and I joined you in conversation. Lok pulled out…what was it…oh, Jasmine Whiskey and we each had a shot. Lok warned not to take more than one, because it was known to cause a bit of memory loss. I listened to him…you didn’t. We then went on the beach with a few other party guests and just had fun in the water.” She took a pause to sip her coffee before continuing to fill in the gaps of Gendry’s memory. “I had a few more beers and well…was definitely too intoxicated to drive us back home. Lok’s brother, Alabaster, was kind enough to drop us off. We laughed at something stupid coming up the stairs, and while you tried to look for your keys, you couldn’t remember where you placed them. How I managed to open your door is still a mystery to me. Anyway, once we got you inside, you stumbled back to your room. I was too exhausted to walk the five feet down the hall to my apartment, so you let me crash on your couch. Although, you did try to offer me your bed while you slept on the couch, I politely declined, and you fell right asleep.”

“Jasmine Whisky, huh?” Gendry sighed, realizing he may have overlooked Lok’s advice to begin with.

Arya nodded, “Yep, that is why I only took one shot. It’s a good alcohol, just not one to drink all night.”

Gendry noted the name of the whisky and vowed to never drink the alcohol again. Lok had created a masterpiece, but one he would stay away from.

“It looks like we will have to get new outfits.” Gendry said as he poured himself another large cup of coffee. His hangover was massive, and he was sure the headache would stay with him throughout the day.

Arya shrugged, “I never liked that dress anyway. As for your suit, we can get it dry cleaned. I’ll take it with me before I leave.”

Gendry shook his head, “Nope, I ruined it by going into the ocean, I will pay for it to get dry cleaned.”

“Gendry, it really is-”

“Arya, you bought it for me, that was enough. Now that it is mine, I will get it cleaned, okay?” He was going to win this argument. He may have been too intoxicated the night before to argue about the sleeping arrangements, but he was fully and sober now. Not even the pounding headache would make him budge.

Arya sighed in defeat, “Fine, you win.”

Gendry noticed the time on the stove, and he had a sinking feeling that Arya may be forgetting about a certain dog waiting for her arrival. Arya must’ve seen the time for herself, because her eyes went wide, and she scrambled from the kitchen bar.

“Shit! I forgot about Nym! She is going to resent me sooo much!” She grabbed her heels from where she had tossed them and hurried out the door. “I’ll be over soon, just needing a shower and to take care of Nym. I also need to borrow your phone; I left mine in Al’s car.”

And she was out the door.

Gendry couldn’t help but smile. Arya Stark was something else; unlike any woman he had ever encountered. Even when he first met the spitfire of a woman, was he mesmerized.

She moved onto his floor about a year after he had moved into his flat. For a whole year, it was just him on the top level of the floor, never disturbed by any of his downstairs neighbors. He was sure they called him a hermit, and if he was being honest, he kind of was.

He didn’t mind, though. He liked seclusion.

So when Arya Stark moved in just down the hall from him, his peaceful seclusion had ceased. She would blast her music on the weekends and let her dog run up and down the hall. It was insufferable and he hated every minute of it. But then, after six months of wondering what his neighbor looked like, he mustered the courage to knock on her door.

He wanted to kindly tell her to lower the volume of her music and to make sure her dog was on a lease, but when she opened her door and she was stared up at him with those big grey eyes, his complaints went directly out the window.

He was completely dumfounded by her and that was a scary feeling.

For three years, he hid his infatuation and tired his best to get the fiery woman out of his mind. He would go on dates; some were good, and some were…. well not worth mentioning. But not matter how much he tried to distract himself from her, he couldn’t get her out of his head.

Then she started bringing a few guys over, and he knew his shot was blown.

So playing pretend with her; living a fantasy of this fake relationship was something he was definitely going to savor. 

* * *

The day of Willow’s wedding had arrived a little quicker than Gendry would have liked.

In the three days from Lommy’s to Willow’s, Gendry not only had a commission piece to finish, but also work on a contracting piece for Arya’s boss, Brienne. Luckily, that wasn’t on a time crunch. His commission piece, well it was wedding gift to Willow ordered by her future husband.

Gendry wouldn’t say he procrastinated…more like he was a bit distracted. Yes, it was true that Arya Stark took up most of his time, and he found himself spending much more time at home than at the warehouse, but he made sure to take the time to finish his pieces.

He had wanted to add an extra detail to the small commission piece, but time did slip from him and he wasn’t able to add it. It’s not like it needed it; the piece itself was absolutely stunning, but he wanted to add an extra bit to it just to make it much more meaningful.

Willow’s fiancée knew of Gendry and the close friendship he had with her, not to mention he had seen a few of Gendry’s pieces littered around the art district in King’s Landing. When Barlow approached him about making a piece for Willow, Gendry jumped at the chance. It would be a way to say thank you for all those years she would listen to his sad pathetic life while laying back a few pints of beer.

Gendry helped Barlow with the design, and together they came up with something Willow would absolutely love, all Gendry had to do was make it.

It took nearly four months and with her wedding looming around the corner, he knew he had to get it done.

And as much as he wanted to spend his time with Arya in those three days between the weddings, he had to finish the piece for Barlow. He would be picking it up a few hours before the wedding.

Gendry managed to finish the night before, leaving him only a few good hours of rest before Barlow would be banging on his door to pick up the sculpture. What he wasn’t expecting was Barlow to banging on his door at five in the morning, leaving Gendry with only a mere three hours of sleep.

He begrudgingly handed over the sculpture before slamming the door in Barlow’s face and dragging his tired body back to bed.

It would have been fine, really, if Gendry were able to go back to sleep. But unfortunately his mind was now awake, and he had…four hours left before he had to rise to ready himself for Willow’s wedding. And there was so much to do even before then.

His suit was still at the dry cleaners, so he had to pick that up and Arya had asked him to pick up her newly ordered dress from her store because her car finally died the night of Lommy’s wedding. He also had to stop by the warehouse and make sure that Anguy didn’t burn down the place while he was gone.

He would be there on any typical Wednesday afternoon, but with Willow’s wedding being right in the middle of the week, he had to call for someone to watch the place while he was out. It’s not like he couldn’t trust Anguy, he just preferred to watch the warehouse himself. Nearly all of his sculptures and client’s orders were stored there. If anything were to happen to that warehouse, he would be out of, not only a job, but his livelihood.

But Anguy was a great employee, and a lifelong friend. If he couldn’t trust him, then who could he trust?

Gendry made quick work with picking up his newly cleaned suit and Arya’s dress, which was hidden withing a garment bag when he picked it up. He had an urge to peek but thought it best to wait until in was on her to ogle her. He only hoped it wasn’t as form fitting as the green satin dress she had worn to the two other weddings, because he wasn’t so sure he would be able to keep his hands at bay.

When he arrived at the warehouse, there a few cars in the car park; probably of those of potential clients taking in his work to determine he if was one to hire. Anguy was perched behind the desk at the entrance, his feet placed atop the counter. He quickly pulled them down when Gendry entered the double doors, giving him a weary look.

“Hey, boss.” He stammered. “Wasn’t expecting to see you today.”

“Who is in the back, Anguy?” he asked as he made his way towards the display pieces that he kept out for potential clients to see his work.

“Uh… just some potential buyers. They mentioned seeing your pieces around the art district. Wanted to meet the ‘The Bull.’”

Gendry raised his brow in questioning, “So how did they get here? I used the pseudonym ‘The Bull’ for a reason; no one knows it’s me.”

Anguy shrugs, “Probably from Ms. Tarth? You did personal art pieces for her.”

Gendry sighes, “Well, let me see who they are and then I’ll be on my way.”

He strides towards the back, straightening out his shirt in the process. He hadn’t expected to meet with any potential clients, but business was business and he needed all he could get. He had a few more hours to kill before getting ready for the wedding, so what was the harm in meeting new clients?

Gendry spotted the couple by the replica piece he had done for the Flea Bottom orphanage a few years back. It as a sculpture of a faceless man and woman, grasping and embracing two children, with broad smiles along their faces; their eyes shining at the mother and father. The children where the only ones with faces. He wanted to capture the happiness that could be one a child was adopted.

The piece on display was much smaller compared to the one housed outside of the orphanage, but still, in his opinion, made the same impact. 

“Can I help you?” he asked cautiously.

The couple turned and Gendry’s heart plummeted into his stomach.

Standing before him was his estranged uncle and his ex-fiancée. Of course, she would know about his warehouse; he bought it when they were still together, but he never expected to her cheating face again. Let alone with his uncle draped across her shoulders.

He heard of Stannis’ divorce; Shireen had called him crying about it, but the fact he had rebounded so quickly and with his ex, at that, was earth shattering.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” He seethed.

Stannis smirked, “Is that anyway to speak to your uncle? Come now, Gendry, we are here to discuss business.”

“And why would I do business with you?” He geared the question more towards Melisandre, but Stannis answered, nonetheless.

“Because we are family. Look, I know I should have been more present in your life, like your Uncle Renly, but what can I say, we’re Baratheon’s and we all have flaws.”

“Not all of us.” He said, a bit breathlessly. “Now, what do you want.”

“We want to buy into the business. Yours, to be exact.” Melisandre answered smoothly.

“Why the fuck would I let you touch any part of my business?” He fisted his hands, digging his nails into his palms as he did so. He was sure blood would be drawn from how hard he was gripping his fists, but he didn’t care. It took every inch of him to restrain himself. The last thing he needed was to get arrested for punching his uncle.

“Because I know business. Or did you forget I was a co-owner of your father’s business before he sold it off and died?” Gendry flinched at the mention of his father. He didn’t have a good relationship with his deceased father, and although he tried towards the end of his life, it still didn’t make up the fact that Robert was absent.

The only one he could rely on was Renly and Davos, his foster dad.

“I know your numbers haven’t been what they could be. Yes, you’ve had major clients; Brienne Tarth being one of them, but you’re bursting at the seams, nephew. Let me help you.”

Gendry couldn’t fault that he could have better numbers, and managing the warehouse was expensive; more expensive than what he thought, but he hadn’t gotten to the point where he needed help and he sure as seven hells wasn’t going to start now.

“I’m good, thanks. Now, if you want a piece for whatever stupidly extravagant house you’re planning on buying with your new…wife,” He had seen the rock on her finger, only making his anger boil. “Then I can make a piece, but of course you’ll have to pay for it. Stay and look at the other display pieces, but I have somewhere to be. Excuse me.”

He swiftly made his way from the display area and headed towards the entrance, stopping short when he saw Anguy.

“Close up after they leave. I’ll open Friday.”

He grumbled all the way to his car, slamming his door with such force he was sure that he would break the glass.

Seeing his uncle had made him see red.

And Melisandre!

Now that was a pair that truly deserved each other, he was sure of it. They were both snakes; evil little serpents out to devour everything in their path. And the funny thing, Gendry knew that Melisandre was bad for him. That relationship was toxic to begin with. He was glad he ended it when he did, but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting when he saw them together.

He needed a drink, and bad.

But he maintained himself and pushed the urge down, making his way to his flat before he changed his mind and found a bar instead.

He didn’t want Arya to see him bothered, so he plastered as much of a fake smile as he could and grabbed their wedding garb before climbing the three flights of stairs to their shared top floor. He gently raps on Arya’s door, waiting patiently before she throws her door open.

“Took you long enough.” She’s dressed in a black undergarment slip with lace frilling the top, obviously meant to be worn under the dress currently residing in Gendry’s hands. Her hair was in rollers, and her makeup was half done, with only one eye completed.

Gendry swallowed hard as he took in her appearance.

Even with her hair in large rollers and her face looking like she had on some type of masquerade mask, he found her beautiful. The undergarment slip didn’t help either, with is stopping mid-thigh.

“Sor-sorry. I…uh had a client at the warehouse.” It wasn’t a complete lie, but it wasn’t the truth and although he didn’t owe her any type of explanation, he certainly felt bad about leaving out details.

“Oh, well…I guess that’s a good enough excuse.” She took the dress from his hands and offered for him to come in, but he politely declined.

“Gotta get ready.” He motioned to his suit in his hand.

“Right…oh wait…” She zipped open the garment bag and Gendry were able to get a glimpse at the dress within. It was black, which was a given considering her slip, and it was short, much shorter than her green satin dress.

“Here.” She shoved a tie into his hands. “It matches the dress I’m going to wear. Made with the material.”

Gendry took in the tie, noting the velvet fabric interlaced with satin. Its design was intricate, but the contrast between the two different fabrics made the design near invisible.

“Now we will match.”

“You really think we need to fool Willow that much?” Gendry asked. He was sure if they could fool Lommy and Hot Pie, that Willow would be no challenge at all.

Arya sighed, “You’ve known Willow longer than I have, but in the three short year that I’ve known her, she’s been able to weed out everything that has happened in my life. And it didn’t take much alcohol for me to spill.”

Gendry groaned.

Arya was right. Willow had this knack for getting any information out of him. It was skill she was dangerously good at, and she would be able to see that he and Arya were not a real couple from a mile away.

“Fair point.”

He took the tie and gave her a reassure smile before stalking off towards his flat.

* * *

Willow’s wedding was much less extravagant than Lommy’s and leaned towards the more practical. It was traditional and there were near a hundred guests in attendance, much less than Hot Pie’s and Lommy’s, so the reception would likely be more intimate.

Because the ceremony didn’t start until later in the, the reception would be held right after the vows were said, with the guests only having to make a short walk across a small pavilion to where the reception hall was.

Gendry was familiar with the venue Willow had chosen; he had made the sculpture in the middle of the fountain housed in the center of the pavilion. It wasn’t one of his favorite pieces, but he made it just as the client wanted and that’s all that mattered.

He noticed Arya marvel at the piece as they walked across the pavilion.

“Did you do this?” she asked as they began to cross the tiny square.

He nodded, “I did. How did you know?”

“I’m becoming familiar with your work. I took a trip to the art district on Monday and browsed of the pieces. I only new the ones that were yours because you told me your ‘code name.’” She laughed. “It’s pretty cool down there. I’m surprised I haven’t taken a look sooner.”

“Ahh, a fan, I see.” He joked.

He noticed her cheeks grow crimson, and against the stark black of her dress, it was quite noticeable, “Something like that.”

When he stopped by her apartment before they left for the wedding, Gendry had nerves. He was curious to see what her dress was like and why she was keeping it such a mystery. Now, as he stared at her in adoration on their way to the reception hall, he knew why.

It was simple.

It was a black dress with velvet and satin mixed fabrics that curved into an intricate design. It dropped into a low v, just stopping short of what he assumed where her slip laid. The dress came just to her knees and had a mild slit running up the right side of her leg. The straps were thin, and if she wasn’t careful, could slip off her shoulder.

She was wearing a simple black dress that made her body look amazing.

It definitely had the liberties the green satin dress did not, and if Gendry was being honest, she looked comfortable; as if in her own skin. He was knocked nearly breathless when she opened her flat door and it took everything in him to not cheat glances her way as he drove them to the wedding. Even during the ceremony, he found it difficult to concentrate on the couple getting married.

All he wanted to do was slip his hand under her dress and caress her milky white thighs and-

“Gendry?”

He shook his head, turning his gaze to Arya, “What?”

“You alright? You were off in a daze there for a moment.”

He nodded, “Yeah, sorry.”

They made their way to their assigned table, and much like Lommy’s wedding, their fellow table mates did not care to bother them.

They watched as Willow and Barlow came through the doors, hand and hand, dancing lightly to the soft music the DJ had blasted around the speakers to introduce the newlyweds. Their wedding party was hot on their heels and one by one they entered, until all were seated at the long table meant for the wedding party. Willow and Barlow were seated in the middle, smiled long across their faces.

The plates of dinner were passed out and flutes of champagne were shared.

They ate their food in comfortable silence, only joining in light conversation of their table mates initiated. Of course, they laughed and whispered among themselves, and Gendry had to keep from spraying champagne on his fellow table mates when Arya made a crude joke about the hag across the room.

It was when the cake was ready to cut and Barlow wanted to introduce the gift Gendry had made for them, did they make their way to the where Willow and Barlow were standing. Cake was already being handed out to guests, while other’s gave the couple their congratulations.

“Gendry!” Willow exclaimed as she embraced him. “The gift you helped Barlow design is truly a work of art. Thank you!”

“For you, anything.” He smiled.

“And I see you met Arya! I knew you two would hit it off.”

“Actually,” Arya intervened. “We are dating.”

Willow’s eyes bugged from her head, “What!? No!? You’re lying!”

Gendry gave a small smile, “It’s true.”

Willow gave a questioning glance, “There is no way! Gendry, you tell me everything and Arya, it doesn’t take you more than a few minutes into your one pine of beer for you to tell me what’s going on in your life! I just saw the both of you a few weeks ago. Remember, when you came back from your Bravvosi work thing. You never mentioned you were dating Gendry.” She turned her eyes on Gendry. “And you! When I saw you a few weeks ago, you were complaining about your uncle…again. Not once did Arya’s name leave your lips. No…you two are pulling leg.”

Arya gave an awkward laugh, “Nope…we really are together.”

“Then prove it.”

Gendry rubbed the back of his neck nervously, a bad tick he happened to pick here of late. “Uh…Willow, I don’t think-”

“A kiss. Kiss each other, then I can tell if you’re lying.”

“Willow, there are people around.” Arya says, a little too nervously.

She gave a dismissive shrug, “Half of them are drunk, they won’t notice or care.”

Gendry isn’t sure what came over him, but he quickly pulled Arya into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. They were soft, her lips, and they moved in time with his. There was some hesitancy, but it quickly vanished when his lips began to move along hers. He lifted his hand to curl up into her hair, caressing the back of her head, if only to deepen the kiss.

They both knew that they would eventually have to kiss in front of her family, so why not get it out of the way.

The seconds that ticked by felt more like hours and it took a small cough to bring them back to reality.

“Okay, I rest my case…you two are _definitely_ a couple.”

Gendry looked upon Arya’s flushed face. She was dazed and little confused, but there wasn’t an ounce of anger or disappointment.

“Sorry.” He finally said, with her still in his arms.

She gave a small smile, “Don’t be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALSO 
> 
> I would like to mention, I have yet to read the books, so please do not take my interruption of Willow seriously. I took inspo from other fics I've read....also, she really isn't going to be mentioned again here on out so...


	6. Part 2d: The Wedding of Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya and Gendry make their way to Winterfell and have an enlightening conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So....This chapter turned into a monster that I had to split it in two. This is part one and part two...I will try to post next weekend, but I cannot make any promises. My dad is coming into town and it is a long weekend here in the states so...I will try! But please enjoy this first part.

  
Arya didn’t mention the kiss. Not when they left Willow’s wedding, not when they returned home, nor when Gendry came over to her apartment for breakfast. There was a silent agreement between the two, that the kiss was for show and that was it.

But for course, Arya couldn’t stop thinking about it.

It was a damn good kiss; one she wouldn’t forget.

The way his lips felt against hers or the way his cologne had wafted to her nose as they moved in time with one another. It was so intoxicating. In fact, she had frequented that kiss many times since it happened. The first time was the night they had gotten back to the apartment. Gendry had bid her a goodnight, giving a cheeky bow as he dropped her off at her door.

When she was safe behind the comforts of her own home, with Nym trailing behind, she couldn’t stop her mind from drifting back to that moment. It was so abrupt, so unlike Gendry to catch her by surprise, that it truly startled her. But her mind had finally registered what has transpiring, she gladly conceded under his embrace.

She grazed her lips with the tips of her fingers, basking in the memory of how his lips felt on hers.

The second time she had frequented the kiss was when Gendry stopped by her apartment, bringing her a fresh lemon cake from Hot Pie’s bakery. The newlywed chef wasn’t there, he was basking the sun on some island for his honeymoon, but the other bakers were there, and although they weren’t nearly as good as Hot Pie’s she gladly took the cake.

She tried to stop her eyes from wondering to his lips, but they were there, right in front of her face, how was she supposed to _not_ look at them? They were flushed, probably from licking the icing from his lips that the lemon cakes had left behind. Instantly her mind when to that night and she could feel her face burn with infatuation.

It was frustrating, how she couldn’t have a conversation with him without her mind drifting to other thoughts of what his lips could do, or she would let them roam. And the messed-up part about it, was that he seemed totally unaware. Like the kiss hadn’t changed the dynamic of their relationship. He was acting as if it never happened.

It was infuriating!

Not to mention she would have to be in confined corners with him come the weekend. If they didn’t talk about the kiss, then their weekend would be filled with nothing but tension and awkward silence. Or at least it would be on her end.

“So…” she lifted a piece of lemon cake to her mouth, savory the tarty taste. “We have my sister’s wedding coming up on Sunday.”

Gendry nibbled on his own lemon cake, nodding in understanding, “Yeah. So what time do I have to pick you up?”

Arya gave a halfhearted smile. “About that…it’s in Winterfell.”

Gendry nearly chocked on his lemon cake, spitting out his half-eaten piece. “In Winterfell? That’s six hours away! What are going to do, leave at five in the morning?”

“Did I mention that I may have told my mother that we would be staying the weekend?”

“Arya!” he yelled. “The weekend…like the whole weekend? I-I can’t just leave for the weekend. Not on such short notice. I have to make sure the shop is closed properly, I have to call Anguy, I ha-”

Arya threw her hands above her head in exasperation, “Gendry, it’s my sister’s wedding! Besides I told her I would be there for the entire weekend before she even sent out the damn invitation. Albeit, I thought I would be alone…but please? I need you there.”

Gendry sighed, “Arya, I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Arya’s heart sank. She was looking forward to spending the weekend with Gendry, even if her whole entire family would be present. It would be a chance for her to get to know her brooding neighbor a little better. With him being a rather obscene recluse; the only thing she knew about him being the basics, she was hoping that this weekend could be her chance to truly understand who he was.

“Fine.” She sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll just have to explain to my family that my boyfriend had to work and couldn’t get off of work. It’s a shame, because they were really looking forward to meeting you.”

Gendry gave her a sideways glance, “But I’m not your real boyfriend, why would I have to meet them?”

“Well, you’re still my friend, right?”

“Yeah, but-”

“So I wanted them to meet my friend.” She snapped. “Even if he is pretending to be my boyfriend.”

Gendry groaned.

She was going to be the death of him. He wanted to go with her this weekend; in fact he reveled in the idea of her sharing her childhood home with him. It would be a perfect opportunity for him to learn more about his secretive neighbor, and who knows, maybe they could share a few more kisses like the one at Willow’s wedding.

He had wondered if she was going to bring up the kiss, but when she failed to do so, he left it be. Perhaps she wished to leave it alone. It was rather abrupt, and he had taken her off guard. But he didn’t think she had hated it. By the way her lips had moved in time with his, there was no way that she hated it. But maybe he had overstepped his boundaries and misread the signs. And by how she’s been mums on the word, perhaps he had.

“Okay.” He sighed. “I’ll go with you.”

Arya burst into a smile and she threw her arms around her shoulders, squeezing him tight. “Thank you!”

“Yeah, yeah.” He waved. “But you owe me.”

Arya pulled back from her embrace, staring into Gendry’s blue eyes. For a moment, she’d forgotten what she was going to say. Something sarcastic, no doubt, but his swirling azure eyes had pulled her in. She was still in his arms, her hands wrapped around his neck. Her eyes flickered to his full lips and she found herself licking her own in anticipation. He was close, so close and all she had to do was lean in and her lips would be inches from his.

She could feel herself swooping in, growing closer to hip lips, but before she could dare herself to capture them, Nym gave a resounding bark, breaking the spell.

Arya shook her head, clearing away the fog, before unwrapping herself from Gendry’s arms. “Yeah, of course. Just name it.”

She shuffled to the pantry, pulling out a scoop of food for Nym and pouring it into her food bowl. As the dog came striding up to her, she gave the husky a good pat on the head, letting her divulge in her meal.

Gendry cleared his throat, coming out of his own spell, before moving to grab his keys from her counter bar. He had only meant to stop by and drop of the lemon cakes as some kind of peace offering, not stay for the hour and half.

“I’m going to head out. I have some things at the shop to clear up. I’ll be back Thursday so we can head out. I’m assuming we are taking my truck, you know, since your beetle finale died.” He smirked.

Arya threw a dish towel in his direction, missing horribly, and stuck out her tongue in defiance. “She’s being worked on…but yes…and you’re driving!”

He laughed, giving a shake of his head before exiting her apartment.

* * *

Gendry had a few things to do before his four-day long weekend in Winterfell.

Being six hours away from his shop was nerve racking and there was no way of knowing how well it would be under the supervision of Anguy the two days it was open. He had made it habit of keeping it closed during the weekend; he wanted at least a few days to himself during the week. And if it was any indication of well the last time Anguy watched the shop, Gendry wasn’t sure he wanted him to.

Granted, he had been avoiding his own business since his uncle had made an untimely visit, but he had clients to attend to, things to make. He couldn’t keep avoiding it forever.

So he decided to visit the damned place, see what was going without his supervision.

As usual, there were only a few cars in the parking lot. Anguy’s red pick-up gleamed in the sun and there were a few other suburban’s from whatever crew was here working on company orders. But there was car that Gendry unfortunately recognized. It was the same car that greeted him nearly a week ago on the day of Willow’s wedding. A car he hated seeing.

He parked his truck as far from his uncle’s car as possible before calming is anger. The last thing he needed was to go to jail for punching his uncle in the face and having Arya bail him out, if she even would bail him out.

At this point, he wasn’t sure what Arya would do.

One moment, she’s avoiding him and the next she was about to him in her kitchen. If it weren’t for Nym, he wasn’t sure he would be able to stop if she had kissed him. From the way he has fantasized his hands on her body at Willow’s wedding, there was high chance that kiss would have ended up with them in bed.

With a resounding groan, he exited his truck and slammed the door, stalking his way to his shop.

Anguy was there at the entrance with a solemn look on his face.

“Gendry, mate. I’m sorry that I had to call you but your uncle…he wanted to talk to you.”

Gendry gave him a curt nod, walking past him and into his personal office in the back of the shop. Stannis would be waiting for him there, no doubt to talk about buying into the company yet again.

He had avoided phone call after phone from Anguy trying to let him know that his uncle was there to see him. He didn’t want to see him, but he had to get it over with, especially before his trip to Winterfell. He didn’t need that much on his mind on their trip.

But when he entered his office, prepared to tell off his uncle, a familiar shade of red hair greeted him. Mel was perched in the armchair across from his desk, her leg cross over the other. Her gawdy necklace shined under the florescent lightbulbs of his office and her breasts were pushed way to high, nearly spilling from her dress.

“Mel.” Her name tasted bitter against his lips and her presence made him cringe.

“Gendry.” She simply stated a sly smile creeping to her lips. “It’s good see you again.”

Gendry rounded the desk, careful to avoid getting near her, and took his seat at his chair. “I wish I could say the same.”

“Oh, don’t pout.” She said. “I’m here to talk business.”

Gendry rolled his, annoyed by just the sound of his voice. “Mel, you can tell Stannis I am not selling half of my company, especially to him.”

Mel shifted in her chair, pursing her lips in disappointment.

Gendry knew her motives and the sooner he could weed them out the sooner she could leave and let him be. This day was already stressful enough, with needing to pack and make sure his warehouse was square away; he didn’t need the added stress of his uncle’s persistent fiancé putting an even bigger damper on him mood.

“Gendry, sweetheart, the reality of it is, you can no longer afford to rent out this space. Sooner or later you won’t be able to afford the price and then your lease will be terminated. That leave this and all that’s in it up for grabs.” She gave a wicked smile as she leaned upon his desk, her breasts conveniently pressed against the mahogany furniture to allow them nearly to spill from their confines. “Sell half before we buy all.”

He hated that she was right. His finances were running dry, and soon he wouldn’t have two pennies to rub together to afford the warehouse. Sure, he had a few high-profile clients, but what good were they if he couldn’t even wrangle a few commissions. He’d been trying to get his work out there, but there just weren’t enough people biting.

Arya certainly enjoyed his work, but she was just one person and he needed more people to buy his work.

“That’s never going to happen.” He said through gritted teeth. “I’m not selling, and Stannis is not buying.”

Mel sighed, leaning back into her chair. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, love.”

Gendry gripped the arms of his chair, trying to calm his anger. “I think this conversation over. I have somewhere to be.”

“Ah yes, I’ve heard you’ve been dating that Stark girl. Have you told her who you really are? I’m sure she’d love to hear that she dating the son of the person that got her father killed.” She smirked.

“What-how do you-you need to leave.” His voice was hard, and his face was stoic. He his anger was flaring, and his fury was on the verge of combustion.

Mel shrugged and rose from her chair, giving Gendry one last look before turning on her heel and left his office, her black stilettos clicking on the linoleum floor.

Gendry let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and the tension in his body released. He hadn’t put two and two together until Mel had mentioned Arya’s name. She was a Stark; he knew this. But he didn’t know she _the_ Stark. One of Ned Stark’s children.

He knew that Ned Stark was his father’s best and oldest friends, so when the news came he had perished in a car accident on the way to see Robert before cancer took his last breath, he was floored. Even in death they wouldn’t be parted.

But not once had Gendry put together that Ned Stark was Arya’s father.

She had never mentioned him, just her berating mother and control freak of a sister. She had gradually mentioned her older brothers; one station that the wall and the other some hot shot politician and then just a quick jibe towards her younger brothers.

He figured her father may not have been in her life, considering the way she avidly avoided mentioning him, but now he knew why. And he felt like complete and utter shit.

Granted, he had yet to divulge any personal background himself, but he didn’t want to influence her feelings. Most people, when they find out that he’s a Baratheon, chide him for details about the infamous Robert Baratheon. He also found that most people wanted to be his friend because his father used to be famous. It was so rare for him to find someone who accepted him for just being him. Just being Gendry. 

He sighed as he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

This was going to be a long weekend.

* * *

Their car ride to Winterfell was filled with a type of tension that Arya couldn’t stand. It was like they were tiptoeing around one another, yet she was sitting right beside him! She knew something was up with him when he had pounded on her door at six in the morning. She kind of figured it was because he wasn’t a morning person, but he had a permanent scowl etched on his face and it hadn’t waivered in the last three hours they had been on the road.

It made for a rather boring road trip and Arya was not going to spend the last three hours of the six-hour leg in silence.

She would obviously have to be the one to cut the tension and weed out why Gendry was being extra brooding, because there was no way in seven hells she was going to stuck with a sour puss all weekend. She can only imaging trying to explain that one to her mother.

“So…” She started, testing the waters for his response. When he didn’t so much as glance her way, she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest like an exasperated child. “Care to tell me what giant stick you have up your ass today?”

Gendry gave her a look of warning, but she ignored it and continued on her triad of meager insults. “Did your cat die, or something? I promise Nym didn’t eat it.”

The husky’s ears perked at her name and Arya had to give her a reassuring pat as she laid there lazily in the back seat. She would have left her at doggy day care, but Sansa begged Arya to bring her, using Lady as an excuse. ‘She wants to see her sister, much like me.’ She had told Arya just the night before.

Gendry didn’t look all that pleased that Nym would be taking up his back seat, riddling it with dog hair, but he made no move to stop her.

“Look, I’m sorry I made you close up your warehouse for a few days, but it’s my sister’s wedding and I didn’t want to show up alone.” She finally said, thinking that was the reason for his demeanor. But he yet to say a single word, Arya blew. She hated the silence, and what was worse, she hated not knowing if it was her or something else entirely that had Gendry’s panties in a twist.

“Will you just tell me what the fuck your problem is?”

She noticed how his hand had gripped the steering wheel, and she thought perhaps she had overstepped. They weren’t the best of friends, so what gave her the right to talk to him that way? Sure, they had spent nearly everyday together for the last month, but she didn’t know him that well to say something like that to him. But did she really care? Nope, because she was aggravated that he wasn’t talking to her, let alone looking at her.

“Fine. Don’t tell me. Just brood there for the next three hours. See if I care.” But she did care, and the deafening silence was killing her, and she was so close to counting the trees that whizzed by her window.

But to her surprise he did tell her. It was the resounding sigh he had emitted that got her attention from the scenery outside. His nostrils were flaring and for a moment he looked like a bull ready to charge.

“Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind.”

Arya scoffed, “I figured as much. Care to share? I mean, we still have three hours until we get there.”

She tried to play it off as if there was nothing better to do than to share deep thoughts, but the truth is, she just wanted to know what was up with him. He’d been cold to her today, and she didn’t like it. In fact, she hated him closing her off. She thought they were finally making a heading, especially after their awkward encounter after Willow’s wedding.

“It’s nothing, really. Just my uncle.”

“Oh, so you do have family.” She said sarcastically. It enticed a smile to form on Gendry’s lips and she thought she was making some headway into his past.

“Yes, I have family. Although, he’s kind of estranged. I haven’t talked to him in years and now he shows up out of the blue wanting to buy half my company.”

Arya’s brows curled in confusion. “Your company? But I thought-”

“Yes, I’ve had a few big successful commissions, like the one your boss hired me for, but those can only last for so long. Truth is, I’m crumbling.” He said with a solemn sigh.

Arya couldn’t help but feel bad about his situation. She knew now much his warehouse meant to him, he told her as much. It was something he had built from the ground up, and to have to that taken away in a blink of an eye…no wonder it was brooding.

“Gendry, you should have told me.” She said softly.

“And what can you do, Arya? Aside from asking Brienne to hire me for whatever other projects she has. I’m sorry, but it’s not enough.”

She studied him after he let on about what was bothering him, but he still seemed out of sorts. He was still holding onto something that he wasn’t quite ready to share.

“There’s something else, though, isn’t there?”

Gendry gave a curt nod, “To top it all off, my estranged uncle is now engaged to my ex…”

“Oh wow, that’s-”

“Fiancée.”

If she had water in her mouth it would be all over his dash.

Gendry had an ex-fiancée. Her brooding neighbor, who never brought a girl home in the last three years that Arya has been living down the hall from him, had an ex-fiancée.

“You were going to get married?” She nearly shrieked, causing Nym to whine in the back.

Gendry let out a soft chuckle, “Yes. Is that so hard to believe?”

“I mean…kind of.”

“Why?” He furrowed his brows, waiting for her response.

“Well...because you’re you. I don’t know, you just don’t seem like the marrying type, that’s all.”

“As opposed to…?”

Arya shrugged. She wasn’t sure how to answer. Sure, she could see maybe one day marrying, but he was such a recluse that it makes that task near impossible. And the fact he was close to actually being married some time ago completely blows her mind.

“What does she look like?” She asked, veering the topic. She didn’t want to talk about marriage, she had enough of it with all the weddings she’s been to.

“I think I still have a picture of her in my phone, it you want to see.” He said nodding towards his phone in the cup hold between the two of them.

Arya was quick to snatch it up but stopped short when it asked for a passcode. “Care to share?”

“It’s all zero’s.” He said casually.

Arya let out a laugh, “That is so hackable. Remind me to remind you to change it.”

She scrolled though his phone coming across his gallery before hesitating. “I’m not going to find any naughty pictures in here, am I?”

She was only joking, but secretly she hoped there were some half naked selfies he had stored away. That way she could catch a glance before moving on to the next picture.

“No.”

But there was blush creeping up his neck and Arya had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn’t telling the truth. Shaking her head, she began to scroll through his camera roll, stopping when she found a picture of what she assumed was his ex. It was dated nearly four years prior and by the way he had his arms around her waist, she had definitely found the right one.

She was pretty but seemed a bit much for someone like Gendry.

Her hair was fiery red, much deeper to that of her sister’s auburn locks, and she had cheekbones for days. Her boobs were pushed way too high and the strappy heels made her legs slender and long. In the picture, Gendry was kissing her cheek, a look of adoration on his face. But she was looking elsewhere, clearly preoccupied with something off camera. Arya could tell it was a one-sided relationship, even in a picture. Gendry was in love her this woman, that was clear, but she wasn’t.

Staring at the picture riled up a feeling within Arya she hadn’t felt in a very long time. Not since the local butcher’s boy gave his attention to Jeyne and not her when she was no more than a child. She hated to admit it, but it was jealousy. But why would she be jealous? It’s not like they were a real couple. Besides, it was picture dated from before she even knew him.

But of course, jealously led to curiosity and she itched to find out if Gendry had anymore stored pictures of his ex. Cautiously, she scrolled through his camera roll, but aside from his picture artwork and who she assumed were friends of his, there were no more pictures of her. Just that one.

She was about to click his phone off when she came across a picture of herself.

It was a recent one; one that she didn’t know was taken.

She was sitting by her bay window in her apartment, looking out at the bustling street below. The sun was shining at just the right angle and she had a cup of coffee nestled between her hands.

Arya remembered that day.

It as a few days before Willow’s wedding and Gendry had stopped by to drop of more of that coffee he had introduced to her. She asked him to stay for a cup and they drank in silence in her living room, just enjoying the rays of sun that wafted into her apartment. She had told him that the huge bay window in her living room was the only reason she decided upon the space because it was form of escape, even if it was in confines of her home.

She smiled at the photo, and as she continued to scroll through his recent pictures, there were more of her. Taken just at the right moment to when she wasn’t looking. There were a few from Hot Pie’s wedding and some from Lommy’s, but most came from Willow’s or even their time in between each event.

And they were good. Beautiful actually.

For being capture on a crappy cell phone camera, they looked like a professional had taken them.

She could ask him about the photos, but she didn’t want to give him another reason to close himself off. So instead, she clicked his phone off and chucked it back into the cup holder.

“Did you find it?” He asked, obviously too preoccupied with the road ahead of him to noticed she had snooped through his pictures.

“Yeah…she’s pretty.” It physically pained her to say those words, but it was true. His ex was pretty.

Gendry nodded, “Yeah, but she wasn’t the one. At least for me.”

“What’s her name?”

“Mel.”

“Well, Mel was stupid to dump you.” Arya said as she crossed her arms over her chest once more.

“I actually broke up with her, but thanks.” He smiled. “I appreciate the complement.”

Arya blushed

How the fuck was she supposed to get through a weekend with him acting like- gods, this was going to be a long one.


	7. Part 2d: The Wedding of Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gendry meets the Starks and wedding takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well....  
> I have finally finished this chapter and ohhhh boy is a long one. Nearly 10,000 words for ya. I made up for not posting last weekend. 
> 
> There is a bit that happens in this chapter and I kinda leave it on a cliffhanger. It's a very open ended chapter, but there will definitely be some clarifications next chapter. I like how I ended this chapter, some people might not be, but....ehhh deal with it. 
> 
> I hope you like it. 
> 
> And it will probably be another two and half weeks before I post again.
> 
> Also...no beta so please forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Gendry new Arya came from money, it was no surprise since her last name was Stark, but when he rounded the corner to drive down a never-ending driveway, he hadn’t expected the quaint house at the end of it. It was small, by any means, but it wasn’t some grand mansion he had in mind either.

It was the perfect size to house a family as large as the Starks, and still have room to accommodate any guests that decided to make a visit. And it was surprisingly homey.

There were dog toys scattered across the lawn and a bike on its side perched by the stairs leading up to the porch. Several cars were already in the driveway and Gendry has to park his monster of a truck on the side of the house where Arya directed him to.

It was a house that was definitely lived in; not just for the sole purpose of being on display. He could tell, but just the outside, that the Starks were a family unit that would be impossible to break up, no matter the situation.

When his truck was finally parked and he turned off the engine, he noticed the hesitance in Arya’s eyes as she stared at the house before them. She had mentioned it had been near eight years since she was last home, and he could only imagine was memories were conjuring in her mind.

Mindlessly, he grabbed her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. 

It was a small gesture, but one that set his body aflame as his skin touched hers. He hadn’t meant for his hand to linger as on long as it did, but she made no move to pull it away, not until she gave a sharp nod and exited the vehicle.

When he followed, he hadn’t expected the slight chill in the air. It was much cooler up here in the northern part of the region than it had been in King’s Landing. It was very different from the sticky heat, and a rather welcome reprieve to harsh summer slamming down in his hometown.

No wonder Arya told him to pack warmer clothes. Albeit, he had to go out and buy some warmer clothes, considering his wardrobe consisted of t-shirts and shorts, with the occasional jeans, of course.

“Are you cold?” Arya chimed as he pulled his sweater tighter around his body.

Gendry shook his head, “No, why do you ask?”

She smiled, a small laugh escaping her lips, “Because you’re shivering.”

“Am I? Hadn’t noticed.” And he hadn’t. He was too preoccupied marveling that the house before him. He had never grown up in anything like what Arya’s childhood home was. Not even after Robert had found him. It was just him and his mother, up until her death, and then he moved into Davos’ place with his wife and their three sons. He was lucky to get the bathroom in time before the others did, let alone live in something as grand as her home.

“Well,” she said, interrupting his thoughts. “Let’s get this over with.”

They made their way to the steps of her home with their bags in hand.

Gendry could tell Arya was nervous, just by how reserved she was to enter. They stood outside in the crisp air for longer than Gendry would have liked, as Arya gathered the courage to enter. When she finally managed to step inside, they were greeted with nothing buy chaos.

There were two young children screaming on the floor, a teenage boy and his girlfriend bickering on the couch in the living room. There were dogs running about, chasing after one another and the sounds of clattering in the kitchen wafting through the air.

Who Gendry assumed to be Arya’s mother, had passed by their standing forms at least four times, with a phone pressed to her ear as she chided with someone on the other end.

“I told you peonies, not daisies! My daughter’s wedding is in two days, and you sent the wrong flowers! I need this corrected yesterday! We do not hav-” she stopped in her tracks, noticing them standing in the foyer. “I’ll have to call you back.”

She clicked off the phone in her hand and nearly ran to Arya, throwing herself into her arms and bringing Arya into a suffocating hug.

Gendry noticed the tension in Arya’s shoulders relax as she snaked her arms around her mother’s torso, squeezing her tightly.

“Oh my darling, girl! Why didn’t you tell you were coming today?”

Arya pulled from the hug and gave her mother a weak smile, “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Consider me surprised.” She turned to Gendry, giving him an interesting look. Like one of curiosity, but also scrutiny. He could see the gears working in her head, as if she couldn’t quite place him, but definitely recognized him. “And who is this?”

“Oh, mother…this is Gendry. He’s my…boyfriend.” Arya said a bit sheepishly. They had never actually called one another as ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend.’ It has always been ‘we’re together.’ The term has sent a chill down his spine, and he conceded that he quite liked the way it sounded coming from Arya’s lips.

“Ah, yes. I do remember Sansa mentioning that you would bring someone.” She extended her hand for Gendry to shake, and he gladly took it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Gendry, I’m Catelyn.”

“The pleasure is all mine, truly.” He smiled, putting his best foot forward. He wanted to impress Arya’s mother, even if their relationship was fake. They were, after all, trying to fool them.

“You won’t be saying that in a few days.” Arya scoffed as she took in the exchange.

Her mother gave her a disapproving look, before glancing back at Gendry.

He could tell there was judgement in her eyes, as if she didn’t truly trust him. And why would she? She has just met him.

“Yes, well…I must get back on the phone with the florist. They sent the wrong flowers; can you believe that? I specifically said peonies and they sent daisies! Your sister is allergic to daisies; I cannot have her turning into a balloon on her wedding day. If you’ll excuse me.” She straightened herself up and stalked off towards the kitchen with her cell phone glued to the face.

Arya let out a forced laugh, “Well that could have gone worse.”

Gendry shrugged, “I think it went fine. I’m sure your mother will be a bit cold towards me, but she doesn’t know me. I get it.”

“No, you don’t.” she sighed. “Come one, let’s get our bags to my room.”

She led him up the stairs, shifting through a narrow hallway and stopping at door at the end. She opened it, the hinges squeaking, and began to ascend a narrow staircase to another door. Stopping short of the oak barrier to fish out a key from her jacket pocket. She turned the key, and Gendry heard a resounding click as the door swung open.

He followed her as she entered the spacious room, setting their bags down at the foot of her bed.

Gendry noticed the curved widows with specs of sun light shining through, and he shuffled towards them, taking a peek at the back yard below.

“Is this an attic?”

“It used to be, then when I was eight, I begged my parents to make it into a bedroom so that I wouldn’t have to share with Bran anymore. My mother detested the idea of me being so far away from my siblings, but my father saw no problem with it. He turned it into this room, and an en-suite bathroom.” She pointed to a door in the corner of the room, nestled beside the door they just entered.

It was definitely a secluded room and allowed for privacy.

“You must’ve been an antisocial kid.” Gendry joked as he took in his surroundings.

Arya scoffed, “Well not all the time. I just liked the idea I could escape if I needed to. Sansa was so jealous and tried to weasel her way into getting it…several times.”

Gendry looked around the room once more and noticed that there was only one bed.

It’s not that he was opposed to sharing a bed with Arya, in fact he had often dreamed about waking up next to her, but they weren’t together, not really and sharing a bed could change the whole dynamic of their relationship.

As if reading his thoughts, Arya chimed, “Don’t worry, there is an air mattress that we can pump up. We used it for camping, so it’s not very big and it’s not very comfortable, but it’ll will do.”

Gendry nodded.

He was a bit disappointed, but new that he had to respect her boundaries. The last thing he wanted was to make her more uncomfortable. He already kissed her without her permission, and he didn’t want to screw it up any further.

As he turned his attention back to her window he noticed the subtle ways her room had expressed her personality. There was a bookcase with books from classical literature to cheesy how-to books. There was desk nestled between her two windows with early sketches of buildings and ideas. A few sheets of paper peeked from beneath a stack of books and he couldn’t help but reach out to grab them. He tugged lightly, allowing the sheets of paper to unwedge from the weight of books.

They were drawings, not of buildings or architecture, but of people; her family mostly, drawn from real life. There were sketches of a young woman, he assumed her sister Sansa, sitting under a tree reading a book or of a man running around with a dog that looked like Nym. He smiled as he shifted through them, completely oblivious to the fact he was most definitely invading Arya’s personal space. 

“These are really good.” He said as he shuffled through them.

Arya gave a small smile, “You think so? I don’t know…I drew them a long time ago. Besides, I think I draw buildings better than people.”

Gendry shook his head, “Arry, these are amazing, really.”

“Arry? You’ve never called me that before.” Her brows knitted in confusion and Gendry couldn’t help the heat that began to rise to his cheeks.

“I-I…sorry, I just…well…yeah.” He said sheepishly.

Arya let out a laugh, “It’s okay, I have a nickname for you too.”

“What is it?”

“Stupid.”

Gendry frowned and Arya burst into a fit of giggles, “Yeah, yeah. Okay, mi ‘lady, get your laugh.”

Her laughing immediately ceased and her face became stoic, “Don’t call me that.”

“You see, not so fun.” He teased and he watched as Arya tried, and failed, to keep the small smile that formed on her lips. It made his heart race, and at that moment he didn’t care if she called him dumb, stupid, bullheaded so long as she was there to call him those names.

He hadn’t yet admitted it, but he was falling for her and hard. And even though this relationship of theirs was nothing more than an elaborate hoax to fool a few friends and family, he so desperately wished that it was real.

“Well we should get back downstairs.” Arya finally said as their fits of mild laughter ceased.

Gendry nodded, “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Besides, dinner should be ready soon.” She began walking towards her bedroom door and Gendry followed, letting the door close behind them.

* * *

Dinner was a seven PM sharp in the Stark household, and no amount of wedding planning would make Arya’s mother forget that.

After showing Gendry her room, she had decided to give him an unofficial tour of the house. She weaved him through the den and the living room, dodging running dogs and toys. She showed him where the guest bathrooms were and where her father’s study laid untouched. She even showed him the garage, which had been converted into a game room for her and her siblings. Arya even managed to show Gendry a major violation of privacy in the form of walking in on her younger brother and his girlfriend making out in said game room.

By the time they reached the foyer, where they started their tour, dinner was about ready.

Her mother had usher them into the dinning room and they took their respective seats, waiting for the rest of her family to join them.

“Is it always this hectic?” Gendry asked as they waited for the rest of the Stark clan.

Arya nodded, “It used to be worse when we were all still living here. Rickon would take his time, still does, and Bran liked to brood in his room. Sansa was always on the phone with Jeyne and Robb, Jon, and Theon were most likely in the game room playing Call of Duty.”

“And you?”

“Sketching in my room. My dad had to pry me away from my desk.” She smiled at the memory. Her father had to take the pencil out of her hand at times, and only then would she concede and join the rest of her family.

Her hands would have been riddled with graphite and her shirt would be covered in eraser shavings, only making her mother glare in disapproval. But her father would only laugh and lead her to the kitchen sink to wash away any evidence of sketching.

“Sounded like you and your dad were pretty close.” Gendry said.

Arya only nodded, trying to keep the tears that had began to well in her eyes, at bay, “Yeah, we were.”

“You should see her with Jon.” A voice interrupted.

A tall lanky woman with long auburn hair came striding into the dining room. She had light blue eyes that allowed the freckles that splattered the bridge of her nose to stand out. Gendry knew that this had to be Sansa, for she was the only other Stark woman in this house, aside from Robb’s wife. But seeing as she looked exactly like her mother, it wasn’t hard to pinpoint who she was.

“Sansa, this is Gendry.” Arya said, a forced smile on her lips. Her sister had the uncanny ability to butt into every conversation, whether it was about her or not.

“So this is the mysterious person you’ve been talking about.” She smiled. “It’s nice to meet you Gendry.”

She reached her hand across the table and Gendry gladly took it, shaking it firmly.

“This is Theon, the groom.” She waved to where he had followed her in. He was a few inches shy of Sansa’s height, but still had a persona of that of someone important.

“Don’t be intimidated.” Arya whispered towards to Gendry. “He only stands that way to make him seem like he is important, when in fact he is nothing more than an annoying dick.”

“Aww, it’s nice to hear you miss me too.” He said sarcastically as he took his seat across from them. Sansa followed and took her place beside Theon, pulling her chair slightly closer to his.

“I did miss you Theon, but now I’m wondering why I ever did.” She teased back, sticking out her tongue as he frowned.

“Stop your bickering.” Her mother chastised as she turned from the oven with a large cooked chicken in her hand. “This is the first time that I have nearly all my children under the same roof in nearly ten years, please behave.”

“Nearly? I know Jon is at The Wall, but is Bran and Meera not joining us this evening?” Arya asked.

Catelyn shook her head, “They will be joining us tomorrow for the wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner.”

“Can we not talk about it?” Sansa had interrupted. Arya noticed how her sister tensed and Theon put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“What’s going on?”

Sansa sighed, “Well, if you must know, our wedding venue flooded so we had to move the wedding here. Two of my bridesmaids have the flu and the florist ordered the wrong flowers. Everything is just a mess!”

“Darling, everything will be fine.” Their mother assured as she placed the steaming chicken in the middle of the table. “We have everything under control and come Saturday, you will have the perfect wedding.”

Arya scoffed, “If it doesn’t go Sansa’s way, then it’s never perfect.”

Sansa glared daggers at her sister and Arya couldn’t help but chuckle. It was nice to tease, even if her sister was having a minor existential crisis.

“Not even a hole hour you’ve been here, and you are already stirring up trouble.” Robb’s voice rang through as he entered the dining room.

Arya smiled and jumped from her chair, throwing herself into Robb’s arms. She took a deep breath and reveled in the familiar smell of her older brother.

“I’ve missed you.” She whispered into his ear and Arya could feel his arms tighten around her.

“No love for the pregnant lady, I see.” Talisa huffed as she waddled into the dining room. Arya pulled from Robb’s arms and gave her sister-in-law a reassuring smile before pulling her into a hug.

“It’s good to see you too, Tal.” Arya pulled away and glanced down at Talisa’s swollen belly. “Finally convinced my brother to breed, I see.”

Talisa gave a small smile, “Yes, only after four years of marriage and three years of political campaigning. He owed me.”

Talisa’s brown eyes shifted to where Gendry was sitting, and she promptly reached a hand over for him to grasp. “I’m Talisa, Robb’s wife. You must be Arya’s boyfriend that we’ve heard little about.”

Gendry gladly took her hand and gave a soft shake. “I am. Nice to meet you.”

“Boyfriend? When did you get a boyfriend?” Robbs asked as he took his seat at the table.

Arya took her place once more and only shook her head at her brother, “It’s new, but yes I have a boyfriend and his name is Gendry and he is sitting right here, so can you all please act like he’s not just a place holder and acknowledge him.”

She felt a little defensive. Her family wasn’t technically ignoring him, but they weren’t exactly acknowledging his presence either. Even if their relationship wasn’t real, he was still her friend and he should be treated as such.

“Darling, stop squabbling.” Her mother said as she placed more food on the table. “Rickon! Lyanna! Dinner!”

A few minutes passed before Rickon and Lyanna joined the table, taking their respective seats at the table.

Dinner was always a lively event in the Stark household, so Arya wasn’t surprised when her sister decided to corner her. It was the perfect setting, really. She had no where to run and even if she could, it’s not like she would say to no to her sister in front of her entire family.

It came as a shock when Sansa casually asked Arya to be in her wedding party…two days before the actually wedding.

They had had this conversation before and Arya had politely declined, but with nearly her whole family and Gendry sitting around the dinner table, Sansa knew that it was the perfect trap.

“So…I was thinking…with two out of five of bridesmaids sick with the flu, that perhaps you could be one…Arya.”

Arya peeked from her plate as she absentmindedly swirled her fork around her untouched peas. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Must I spell it out for you? Will you be one of my bridesmaids?” Sansa asked again, this time with a little more conviction in her voice. 

Arya’s cheeks flushed and she could feel her pulse quicken. Sansa had deliberately put her on the spot; a situation Arya hated. She actively tried her best to be out of the spotlight, yet here she was, the entire family’s (not to mention Gendry) eyes on her, waiting for her response.

“Sansa…I-I don’t think that’s a good idea. Besides I told you three months ago that I didn’t want to be in your wedding.” She said.

Sansa’s lips thinned and she narrowed her eyes, “Look, I don’t ask you for much, but this is my wedding and it’s already been ruined. The least you could do is be in my wedding party; make my day a little bit more special.”

Arya sighed, “But I don’t even have a dress.”

“That’s alright darling. I think you and Lilly are about the same size. We’ll go to Margaery’s tomorrow and see if she can alter it.” Her mother chimed.

She hung her head in defeat and nodded, “Fine, Ill be in the wedding.”

“Perfect! Oh…and Gendry can be one of Theon’s groomsmen! You and Jon look about the same size, you can use his tux.” Sansa exclaimed.

Arya’s eyebrows furrowed, “Jon is not coming?”

Sansa’s excitement dwindled at the mention of their absent brother. There was a gleam of sadness in her eyes as she said, “No, he couldn’t get off of patrol at The Wall. I thought you knew. Don’t you talk to him nearly every day?”

Arya shook her head, “No…I’ve been busy and with being in Bravvos the last six weeks, I’ve hadn’t the chance.”

“He called me last week to break the news.” Sansa shrugged. “I was supposed to have both of my older brothers walk me down the aisle, but it looks like I’ll just have the one.”

Arya rolled her eyes at her sister’s dramatics, “I’m sure Jon is just as upset.”

“Anyway, since there now is a vacancy in Theon’s groomsmen, Gendry can fill it.” Sansa pulled her gaze to Gendry, who was all too keen to keep out of the sisterly conversation. “You don’t mind, do you Gendry?”

Arya glared at him, begging him with pleading eyes to turn down her sister’s request.

“I…uh…I…don’t mind.” He conceded.

Arya groaned at his pathetic attempt to thwart her sister’s advances. It was like he didn’t even try, despite her look of warning.

They had grown accustomed to each other’s looks; thank the gods that he couldn’t tell all of her looks, because if he did, then she would have some serious explaining to do. But he should’ve taken a hint and declined her sister’s request. At least one of them should enjoy this wedding.

“Perfect!” Sansa exclaimed.

* * *

Arya had to be up at the break of dawn to endure a day of torture with her sister, mother, and whoever else Sansa had managed to rope into the venture they were about to embark on.

She could only manage to pull on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, as to not disturb Gendry, who had finally managed to fall asleep on the twin size air mattress mere hours ago, before her sister lightly rapped on her bedroom door.

Arya gave a silent groan as she pulled herself from her bed.

She detested the idea of parading around town, when she had a perfectly good bed she could be staying in for the whole day. She had a full day before Sansa’s wedding, and the last thing she wanted to do was to get fitted for a bridesmaids dress that she wasn’t even supposed to be wearing.

She silently turned the knob of her door and creeped out the room. Sansa greeted her on the other side.

Her hair was pulled back into a high pony and her makeup was done to perfection. Her leather jacket shined in the light of the overhead luminescent and her jeans hugged every curve of her body. For someone who was going through a mess of wedding, she looked immaculate.

Arya, on the hand, looked like she just rolled out of bed…which she just did.

“Could you look anymore…hoboish?” Sansa mocked as she took in her sister’s appearance.

Arya shrugged, “I’m going to be poked and prodded with fabric needles anyway, might as well be as comfortable as possible.”

“You do realize we are going to Margaery’s Boutique, right? She is the number one sought out wedding dress designer in all of Westeros. You cannot show up looking like… _that_.”

Arya rolled her eyes, “I can show up anyway I wish. Now let’s go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back.”

Sansa sighed, but stepped to side to allow Arya to descend the stairs.

They would be driving with their mother, while Talisa followed. Meera would be meeting them there and it would be just the five of them for nearly the whole day. At least Arya could count on Meera for some reprieve, considering she hated it just as much.

Arya recalled their conversation a few days after she back to Westeros from her business trip. Meera had spent all of ten minutes in the dress shop before she found her wedding dress. She also despised the idea of bridesmaids and trying to figure out what to dress to stick them that, not only looked good on all body types, but also maintained some level of comfort.

According to Meera, it was all just too much, and she and Bran had decided it was only to be them up at the altar.

It has been awhile since she last seen Meera. Aside from that trip she and Bran took to King’s Landing a few years back, Arya hadn’t actually seen her best friend in ages. It would be nice to catch up, and perhaps tell someone, other than Gendry, that this was just an elaborate scheme just so she didn’t have to show up to her sister’s wedding alone.

If anyone would understand, it would be Meera. They practically grew up together. Besides, she knew Arya’s track record when it came to dating and how she couldn’t keep in a serious relationship for more than a few months.

Granted, she’d probably have to prepare herself for the lecture Meera was sure to give her, just like the one she gave her about Aegon when she was just dating to have a good time.

“Break it off, Ar, because he’s falling for you…hard. And I know you don’t feel the same way.”

Arya should have listened; it would have saved a whole lot of heartbreak, but of course she didn’t, and their breakup was just a messy pile of horse shit. It took her nearly a year to get over that blunder.

She shook the memory from her head as they pulled into the car park of the boutique.

It was a quaint little building, but looked as if it was already over capacity, just by the how many cars were stationed in the care park.

“It looks kind of busy.” Arya noticed.

“It’s okay, Margaery set an area aside just for us, she’ll also be the one making the alterations.” Sansa said as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

Arya’s futile attempt at tying to deter her way out of this situation went unnoticed. It seemed her sister was determined to get her apart of her wedding party, and with just a day before she says ‘I do’ she managed to rope her in.

Arya was starting to think that perhaps her wedding accidents were accidents at all.

With a groan, she followed her sister and mother out of the car, following them as they entered the boutique. They weaved through rows and rows of dresses before coming to a room situated off to the side of the boutique, hidden behind a maze of white fluffy tulle.

Meera was already waiting and Talisa was just behind them. There was a familiar women sitting off to the side of Meera. She had long brown hair that fell in curls down her back and her brown eyes twinkled in the lights of the illuminated mirror behind her.

Arya recognized her, but she couldn’t seem to remember from where.

She obviously knew Sansa well, considering she was willing to make alterations for her on such short notice, but Arya just couldn’t place where Sansa knew her from. Surely she would remember her sister mention someone the likes of Margaery, but her mind went blank.

Then the sudden realization hit her.

Marg…from Sansa’s junior year in university.

Marg was Margaery.

Arya slipped besides her sister, pulling her away just before they reached where Meera and Margaery were sitting.

“Is Margaery Marg from university? That fling you had after Joffrey?”

Sansa’s cheeks flushed a bright red, “How did you figure it out?”

“It wasn’t that hard. I knew I remembered her from somewhere, you know…that time you brought her to King’s Landing when you came to visit a year after I moved.” Arya whispered so that no one around them could hear.

“That was seven years ago! How could you possibly remember that?”

“No wonder she’s helping you.” Arya smirked.

“We are friends, that is all. She was just a time in my life where I was exploring my sexuality. She is also happily married to a mutual friend of ours.” Sansa huffed as they finally joined the others.

Arya smiled. She enjoyed teasing her sister and getting her all flustered was the perfect revenge for whatever torture she was about to be subjected to.

Arya took her seat beside Meera and gave her a quick hug, “I’ve missed you!”

“Me too!”

“I cannot believe you are marring my brother! A phone call would have been nice, but no, I had to find out via an invitation in the mail. Have I dropped so low on your friends list that you couldn’t do me that decency?” Arya joked as she pulled from the hug.

Meera laughed, “I would have called, but you were in a foreign country for three months! I hear cell reception was horrible.”

“Well it was…but I am so excited! Only a few weeks away!” Arya exclaimed.

Arya was truly excited for Meera to be officially joining the Stark family. It was a long time coming, and although she was secretly rooting for her and her brother to tie the knot, she was absolutely over the moon when that invitation came.

“Yeah…It’s all exciting, but between your mother and mine…well they’ve managed to suck nearly all the fun from it.”

“Don’t let them. This is your day.” Arya smiled and she gave her best friend another tight embrace before being dragged to the dressing room.

Her mother shoved a lilac dress into her hand and Arya struggled with the ties to secure it place. It was bit large on her tiny frame; who ever Lily was, she and her were not the same size. Several alterations were going to have to be made for Arya to look decent in the garment. How Margaery was going to pull it off in only twenty-four hours was beyond her.

She stumbled out of the dressing room, tripping on the long train of the bridesmaid dress.

Not only was Lily wider than Arya, but also taller, resulting in the dress to trail behind her by several feet.

“I can work with this.” Margaery said as she followed Arya up the display stand. She began gathering material and pinning it into place. There was a lot of fabric to pin, and for a solid thirty minutes, Arya let herself get poked and prodded as Margaery took her measurements.

“There…I think we it all pinned.” Margaery stepped back to exam her work and nodded in approval.

Arya glanced behind her in the mirrors and saw that the dress now looked fitted, forming to her body as if it was a second skin. The train was still long, but that would be fixed by just cutting off the excess fabric. And the dress itself wasn’t all bad either. The lilac color complemented her skin tone beautifully and the way the dress now cascaded down her frame made her curves stand out. She had to admit, it looked way better than the little black dress she had been planning to wear.

“Gendry won’t be able to take his eyes off of you!” Sansa exclaimed.

“Who is Gendry?” Meera piped.

Arya hadn’t the chance to tell her best friend about her brooding neighbor, let alone tell her she was in a fake relationship with him.

“Oh, he’s only Arya’s boyfriend she’s been hiding away from all of us.” Sansa answered.

“You have a boyfriend? Since when?” Meera rose her brows in quizzically. She wanted Arya to spill, and fast.

“It’s…it’s new. Nothing to fret over.” She shrugged, the gesture causing some of the pins to fall from their place.

“Please…I think she mentioned something before she went on her business trip. That has to be like nearly four months now.” Sansa chimed in.

Arya wanted to strangle her sister.

Yes, she may have mentioned that Gendry was dog sitting for her when she went to Bravvos, but she didn’t think that her sister would take it as she was dating him right then and there. Now she had even bigger explaining to do, because there was no way Meera wouldn’t leave her be until she got all the details.

Arya turned toward her sister, “I never said-”

“Will you stop moving! You are pulling the pins out. Come, let’s get you out of this before I have to spend another thirty minutes pinning the dress into shape.” Margaery chastised as Arya moved yet again.

“Oh! You should try on some dresses.” Her sister exclaimed.

Arya’s heart began to race, and she could feel her head violently shake back and forth. “No that won’t be…I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Oh come on, Arya! We have two hours to kill before we meet up with the caterer to finalize the menu for tomorrow and it would be fun to see you try some on!” Sansa whined. “Please…for me?”

Sansa pouted her lip and her eyes grew wide, giving her most convincing puppy-dog face she could give.

“But Sans, I’m not even engaged! Like you said, Gendry and I have only been dating for a few months. It wouldn’t be right, besides, isn’t it bad luck or something.” She tried to dodge the bullet, but her efforts were moot. Sansa wouldn’t budge, and she could see that the other women around her were also eagerly waiting.

She glanced at Meera. Although she hardly knew anything about Gendry, she could see the devious twinkle in her best friend’s eyes.

“It’s not bad luck, Ar, just go for it.” Meera urged and she watched as her mother, Talisa, and Sansa all nodded in agreement.

Even Margaery, encouraged her. “Yes, please do, at least it will get you out of this garment.”

With a groan, Arya conceded, “Fine! I’ll bite. Get me out of this bridesmaid dress so I can try some of…those on.”

She shuffled off the bridal stand and allowed Margaery to take her back into a dressing room to removed the pinned dress from her body. When the delicate garment was pulled from her small frame, Arya looked herself in the mirror. She was in a white bralette and simple white underwear, the scars on her abdomen ever present.

She had gotten them in her first year of living in King’s Landing. Some robbery gone wrong, and she just so happened to be caught in the middle of it. Of course, she thought that with her years of fencing training, she could take the robber. Oh how she was sorely mistaken. She hadn’t realized she was stabbed before it was too late.

A week she spent in the hospital. If it weren’t for the doctors snooping through her phone for any emergency contacts, she could have gotten away with not telling her family. But of course, that was not the case, and her mother spent the better part of three months trying to convince her to move back to Winterfell.

It obviously didn’t work.

Arya was never transparent about her scars; in nearly all her relationships she had steered cleared from their questions, always dodging the bullet.

Luckily Gendry hadn’t gotten anywhere near to seeing her scars (that would require her to be half naked). If it ever got to a point where he saw her scars, she didn’t think that she would shy from telling him what happened. Arya trusted him and she felt like she could tell him anything, really.

Margaery has returned to the dressing room with a simple white dress in hand.

It wasn’t fluffy or made with copious amounts of tulle. It was made almost entirely of lace and held on the body with thin straps. There were tassels that fell to the side that could be pulled back into a low bow.

It was stunning, and exactly something Arya would wear.

“Here it is.” Margaery unzipped the dress and helped Arya into the garment. “I made this a few months ago. It’s not exactly one of my best sellers, but I thought it would look lovely on you.”

The dress fit perfectly and hugged the spots it needed to hug. Arya gasped as she took herself I the mirror. She never dared to believe that she would one day wear a wedding dress, but with the reflection looking back at her she could picture herself walking down a grass aisle, barefoot, with soft white rose petals adorning the pathway. And waiting at the alter was a tall handsome man with jet black hair and eyes as blue as the ocean.

“Oh, you look beautiful! Let’s go show the others.” Margaery ushered Arya out of the dressing room and helped her ascend the bridal stand. There were quite hums of approval and Arya could see the small glint of tears in her mother’s eyes.

“Mother, please, it’s not like I’m actually getting married.” Arya assured her mother.

“I know, I know…it’s just…you look stunning darling!” Her mother quickly wiped the tears from her face and handed the kerchief to Sansa, who was also tearing up.

Arya shook her head and gave Meera a glance, only to see her best friend staring in awe.

“Is it that impossible to see me in a wedding dress?” She asked, a bit exasperated.

Meera gave a small shrug, “Well you did say you would never get married, yet here you are…”

“I’m not getting married!” Arya exclaimed. “Sansa is!”

“But you could be. What happens when Gendry proposes?” Meera questioned.

Arya let out a curt laugh, “Trust me when I say he will not be proposing anytime soon. Can we go now, I’m getting hungry.”

She made her way to the dressing room, shimming her way out of the dress and placing it back on the hanger before pulling on her sweats and t-shirt.

Her family was being ridiculous. How could they even assume such a thing! It was bloody obvious that Gendry wasn’t going to propose! They weren’t even in a real relationship, let along in love with each other. Ture, she may be harboring some feelings for him, but that was besides the point.

Shaking her head of the absurd thought, Arya gathered her things and went to join the rest of her friends and family.

* * *

The rest of Arya’s day was filled with parading around town with her mother, sister, sister-in-law, and best friend.

Sansa had to finalize the menu for her wedding the following evening and then they went to the mall to buy a pair of matching heels for Arya to wear with the rest of the bridesmaids, ones that were her size.

Then her sister basically forced her into a salon chair for a much-needed haircut and a few highlights to bring her hair back to life. She hated to admit it, but it felt nice and she didn’t mind sporting a brand-new hairdo.

And it went well with the simple spring dress she had gotten for the rehearsal dinner that night.

Gendry has his own fun filled day with Theon and her brothers. He had finally met Bran and preferred her quieter brother than her much other rowdy ones. They had taken him to the tailors to make sure that Jon’s suit fit. Turns out they had to do little alterations; not like Arya’s dress. They then took Theon to a bar to celebrate his last night of freedom.

Luckily Robb was smart enough to make sure he didn’t get absolutely hammered before the rehearsal dinner, which went off without a hitch, surprisingly.

Arya and Gendry were seated with the rest of the wedding party, but kept to themselves, and indulged in their own conversations, which Arya had no qualms about.

“So how drunk is Theon?” Arya asked as she watched the rehearsal unfold. Theon didn’t seem to be too inebriated, by the way he was able to stand and pretend to recite his vows, but this was Theon and he knew how to handle his alcohol.

“He’s not drunk…much.” Gendry smirked. “We made sure he wasn’t too intoxicated. I may not have ever seen your sister angry, but I’d rather not find out.”

“Smart choice.” Arya smiled.

“I like the hair, by the way, it looks good.”

Arya’s cheeks flushed, “Thanks. My sister basically forced me, but I’m glad she did.”

Gendry brushed his hand across her cheek, pushing out a strand of hair that had fallen in her face. He gently tucked the strand behind her ear, before quickly retreating her hand.

“Me too.”

The wedding rehearsal seemed to drag on, with Arya and Gendry and the rest of the wedding party being constantly positioned along the aisle in the Stark’s backyard. It took Sansa two hours of trying to figure out where each person had to be placed before she felt content at the order.

By that time, Arya was mentally and physically exhausted. She was ready to get out of spring dress and strappy shoes. She wanted her to bury herself in the comfort of her duvets and not be bothered until the morning. 

So when her sister finally came to the perfect placement, she breathed a sigh of relief, bidding her family goodnight. Gendry seemed to follow her sentiments and followed her up the two flights of stairs it took to get to her attic turned room.

She could hear him toss and turn as the floorboards beneath him creaked with the weight of him on the air mattress. He was being a stubborn bull, refusing to climb into bed with Arya. She knew the night before had been miserable for him, for even the plushy rug he was laying on couldn’t provide the comfort he needed.

Arya had begged him to join her on the bed the night before, but with him being the gentleman he was, politely refused.

Arya could only roll her eyes as she nestled into the soft duvets of her bed.

As the night progressed and the biting chill seeped into the confines of her room, she could feel his restlessness, and although she’d was more than comfortable, she couldn’t sleep either, not knowing he was suffering.

That’s why, when they readied for bed this night, she was no longer going to hold her tongue; he needed sleep, they both did, especially since they both have to endure her sister’s wedding come morning. 

“You can sleep on the bed, Gendry.” Arya sighed. “I don’t bite…much.”

Gendry grumbled as he pulled his aching body from the wood floor. He was hesitant as he saw Arya sprawled on the right side of the bed, looking at him quizzically. She was studying him, testing to see if he would actually climb into bed next to her.

“Oh come on! We have two more days here; you can’t sleep on the floor the whole weekend.” She huffed as he took his time deciding.

“Are you sure this is okay?” He asked.

Arya appreciated his concern, but it was moot. She would be fine if he got her naked, let alone climbed into bed with her. But she was glad to reassure him. “Yes, Gendry I am okay with this. Now will you please get into the bed.”

With a defeated, yet relieved sigh, he crawled into bed next to her. She was bundled under the covers, the duvet pulled close to her chin.

Gendry had agreed to be in bed with her, but he refused to shuffle under the covers himself, opting the grab the blanket from floor to use to keep him warm from the cool summer air outside.

Winterfell was unlike any place he had ever visited.

It was cool in the North; much cooler than King’s Landing at this time of year and it sent a chill to his bones. He wasn’t used to such weather and the moment they had arrived his teeth were chattering. It was embarrassing and he didn’t want Arya to see, but she could tell it would be an adjustment.

Arya chuckled when he pulled the blanket around him tighter, trying to escape the cool air that had seeped into the walls of her childhood home. She could try to convince him to join her under the covers, but that would be a losing battle. It took her nearly thirty minutes of berating him to get to get on the damn bed in the first place.

“Good night.” She whispered; a smile etched on her face.

“G’night.” He mumbled as he tried to get comfortable, hoping that, despite how cold he was, slumber would welcome him.

* * *

Arya groaned as the alarm on her phone sounded.

It was eight in the morning, and way to early for her be awake, but she had a busy day. It was her sister’s wedding after all.

She shifted in the bed, only to be weighed down by an arm encircling her waist. She could hear Gendry’s steady breathes from behind her and her heart quickened. She had forgotten that they had shared a bed the night before and with her exhaustion, she fell right asleep.

They had maintained at least three feet between them, but of course, they couldn’t account for what their bodies did when they were in sweet slumber. Obviously they had sought each other’s body heat, or more like Gendry sought out her body heat in the night.

She wasn’t complaining, she enjoyed his embrace and reveled in his heat. For someone who was claiming to be so cold, he sure was warm. She could also smell his muskiness; the way the pines had seeped into his clothes and he had the best of Winterfell and King’s Landing on him. Or the plain fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

He must’ve thrown it off in the middle of the night, her warmth too much for him. At least he was warm and she along with him.

She didn’t want to disturb his slumber; it was probably the most sleep he had gotten since they’ve been there, but they both needed to wake, considering they were now apart of Sansa Stark’s wedding. She turned in his arms and faced him, his face etched in peaceful slumber, and she took her finger and ran it down the bridge of her nose.

Gendry’s face crinkled and he slowly opened his eyes, those big blue irises meeting her gray ones.

“Good morning.” He said a bit groggily. “I’m sorry for…this.”

Arya smiled, “Nothing to be sorry for…but we do have to get up, or Sansa will have our heads.”

Gendry nodded, “Yep. I am going to be spending the day with Theon and your brothers and I have a feeling your going to be with your sister and the other girls.”

“Are you a psychic?” She laughed

“I’m just good at guessing.” He smiled.

Arya laughed and tried to wiggle herself free from Gendry’s embrace, which his noticed and he quickly retreated his arm. There was a beat of silence between the two as they started at each other, only for the spell to break when a brisk knock at Arya’s door made her rise from the bed.

She cracked it open to see Meera waiting on the other side. “I was sent to make sure you’re both up. Thank the gods you’re decent, because that would have been embarrassing.”

Arya sighed and pushed herself through the crack, closing the door behind her. “Meera, I don’t have much time, but Gendry and I aren’t a couple. We’ve been pretending to appease our friends and family. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if I showed up alone to my sister’s wedding.”

Meera laughed, tears running down her face and Arya gave her a perplexing look, “What’s so funny?”

“You could’ve fooled me. I see the way you two look at each other, and if that isn’t love, then I don’t know what is.”

Arya blushed, “I don’t know…that isn’t what that…shit.”

There was no point in hiding her feelings from her best friend. Meera knew her better than she knew herself sometimes, with Gendry becoming a very close second.

“Look, you may be fooling yourselves, but I can tell you two have a thing for each other. But take my advice, tell him soon before this whole plan of yours blows up.” She turned on her heel then, leaving Arya to her muddled thoughts.

* * *

Arya didn’t mention Meera’s conversation when she entered the room, instead she shuffled towards her bathroom and closed the door, readying herself for the long day ahead of her.

Gendry had left with the boys shortly thereafter, and Arya was with her sister and barrage of other bridesmaids.

Margaery had come with Arya’s dress, along with a whole crew of hairstylists and makeup artists. They were already prying at Sansa’s auburn curls, pinning them into an elegant updo.

Talisa was seated next to her, her brown locks cascading down her back in soft curls, with a few strands pinned behind her head. Her swollen stomach took up most of her space and she gently rubbed the rounded curve in a protective way.

Meera was already dressed in her gown and her make up was done with pristine precision. She was sitting in the corner of the den, playing some stupid mobile game to pass the time.

“Oh good, you’re here. Margaery will help you in the gown.” Her mother said, pushing Arya into the small bathroom beside the den. Her dress was hanging on the back of door, tailored to fit her body. She grabbed it from the hanger and pulled it up her body. Margaery entered shortly thereafter and zipped the back of the dress.

Arya was surprised at how well the dress fit and how Margaery was able to get it done in such a short amount of time.

When the dress was zipped into place, Arya made her way back out into the den and allowed the hairstylist and makeup artist to doll her up. She only ever did her make up and hair for special occasions and seeing how she was now in her sister’s wedding, she thought it best not to complain.

Of course, there was nothing to complain about, because they curled her short hair, allowing the strands to drop in large ringlets and placing a small crown of flowers atop her head. Her makeup was minimal, meant to extenuate her natural beauty, rather than hide it behind a layer of heavy makeup.

When she looked herself in the mirror, she could still see Arya Stark, not some made up barbie she thought her sister would force her to be.

“Well if it isn’t Arya Stark. Long time no sees.” A very familiar vile voice rang behind her. She glanced in the mirror to see Jeyne Poole standing behind her. Her blond hair was done in a similar fashion to Arya’s, but seeing as she was maid of honor, her flower crown was adorned with larger petals than hers.

Arya turned, plastering a fake smile, “Jeyne, it’s good to see you. Congratulations on the engagement, I look forward to seeing the ceremony.”

“You’re coming?” She asked, genuinely surprised.

“Of course! I’m sure we are both old enough to let bygones be bygones. You did invite me after all, why wouldn’t I show up?”

Jeyne blushed, “No reason, I suppose. You look pretty, by the way.”

Arya gave a small, but true smile, “Thank you, so do you.”

“Enough with the chit chat…we have a few hours before the ceremony so we will be going out to the front lawn for some wedding pictures. The boys should be done with their rounds, now it’s our turn.” Her mother ushered the wedding party out of the den, through the living room and out through the foyer to the front door. Sansa was trailing behind, the tail of her dress clutched in her hands as to not to let it drag.

Arya lingered behind, taking her sister’s dress into her own hands and helping her out the front door.

Thank the gods Rickon had listened to their mother and cleaned the front lawn, devoid of all the dog toys and bicycles.

Sansa was placed in the middle with Meer and Arya on her left and Jeyne and Talisa on her right. Their mother opted out of these set of photos, waiting until it was only Sansa to jump in a few.

By the time their photos were taken, it was nearly time for the ceremony. Guests had been arriving all morning and Bran and Rickon did a great job at directing them to the back yard.

It was fit for a wedding.

There were lights hanging and chairs with big bows covering each side of a makeshift aisle of white satin. Sansa was determined to make it down the lawn in heels, so she did everything she could to make sure it would make her transition easy.

There were rows of picnic tables scattered behind the alter, waiting for wedding to turn into a reception.

Most of the decorations were left from the rehearsal, but there was an added dance floor and DJ booth stationed at the lower part of the lawn.

Arya had no idea when those were brought; it could have been when she and Gendry retired for the night or this morning, before her alarm went off, either way, her mother had been busy, and it looked amazing.

“Okay, Sansa, Theon and the boys are already at the altar. Your bridesmaids will walk down the aisle and then your maid of honor will be right before you. Your mother is already seated at the front. We are just waiting for the music and we can get you married.” Margaery spewed.

So not only was she the designer, but also the wedding planner.

The music started shortly after and Meera, followed by Talisa, Arya and Jeyne all began their descent down the aisle.

Arya could feel the racing of her heart as she tried to focus on what was in front of her. She hated eyes on her, and the current moment, nearly one hundred and fifty pairs of eyes were on her. But she had to tell herself, that she was doing this for Sansa. That this was all for her sister, who would owe her big time.

As she neared the altar, she noticed Gendry standing beside Bran. Jon’s tux fit him perfectly. He looked devilishly handsome, with his hair gelled into place and his beard trimmed neatly. As her eyes met his, she found her anxiety weaning. He gave her smile and soft nod, and she could feel as her breaths began to normalize.

When she reached the end of the altar and took her place beside Jeyne, the music had changed and the wedding guest stood, waiting for Sansa to come down the aisle.

Her sister was clinging to Robb’s arm as they began their descent, but she noticed that her sister’s gaze was solely on Theon. And Theon was completely mesmerized by Sansa.

He may be righteous ass at times, but Arya knew that Theon loved her sister, and if it wasn’t for him she probably wouldn’t have a sister. Theon had pulled Sansa out of a very dark hole, especially after their father died. She had gone through a very traumatic relationship with a Ramsey Bolton, that left her mentally broken.

Arya was grateful for Theon and couldn’t have chosen a better man for her sister.

And their vows said it as much.

She had sworn that she wouldn’t cry, but as her sister professed her love for Theon and how he saved her life, she couldn’t help the tears that streamed down her face. And it only got worse as she thought that their father wasn’t there to witness this ceremony

After the ‘I do’s’ and the ‘you may kiss the bride’ the ceremony shifted to the makeshift reception area in the lower part of the Stark’s backyard.

Gendry was quick to seek out Arya and grasped her waist as he led her to the table meant for the wedding party.

“That was beautiful.” He whispered in her ear as they made their way to the table.

Arya nodded, “It was. Made me cry. Thank the gods for waterproof mascara.”

“You look beautiful, too.” He smirked and Arya couldn’t help but blush.

Was he flirting with her? Was there a slight possibility that perhaps he had some of the same feelings as she did?

“You don’t look half bad yourself.”

They made their way to the table and took their respective seats, waiting for the introduction for Mrs. and Mr. Theon Greyjoy.

When her sister and Theon finally made their appearance, they were swept into their first dance as husband and wife. They twirled around the makeshift dancefloor and all Arya could do was watch in fascination.

Her sister looked happy and in love and, by the gods, she wished that one day that would be her. She had been putting marriage on the backburner, but now she thought that perhaps it wouldn’t be all too bad.

Spending an eternity with someone didn’t seem like a nightmare, so long as it was with the right person. Maybe she did find that person and he was sitting right beside her, but how could she be sure? They had been playing this game of cat and mouse since Willow’s wedding and it was driving her mad.

She couldn’t deny it any longer, she wanted Gendry, she only wished that he wanted her just as much.

“Care to dance?” He asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

Arya nodded and took Gendry’s hand, allowing him to guide her to the dance floor. It was slow song, nothing she couldn’t handle, and they began to sway to the rhythm of the beat.

“You know, I was thinking…” She started.

Gendry looked down at her, a brow raised. “Yes?”

“Maybe you can kiss me? Last time was so abrupt and well, if we want to keep up the façade, I think we should show some form of PDA.”

“So you want me to kiss you, with your whole family watching?” he questioned.

Arya’s heart sank, “Never mind, it was a stup-”

But her sentence was cut off as his lips crashed to hers. Unlike before, they tasted of mint and pine, definitely a result of spending their weekend in the north. But just like before, they were soft and sweet as they mingled with her lips.

They moved in sync with one another and Arya could feel her hands warp around her neck to bring him closer. His arms encircled her waist and brought her closer to his chest and all she could do was breathe in his scent.

It was much strong than that morning in bed and all Arya wanted to do was bathe in it.

Perhaps Meera was right, and she should tell him how she felt, because so help her gods, if she didn’t have more of Gendry Waters she thought she would die.


	8. Part 2e: The non-existent Wedding of Bran Stark and Meera Reed Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya and Gendry escape to Storm's End and Gendry makes a confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, first and foremost, this isn't my best chapter. It is a bit rushed and I've had a lot of writer's block with this. I did decide to split this chapter in two, because I feel as if the second half of it is SO much better and I want to give you all something worth waiting for! 
> 
> I would also like to note that this WIP of mine is based in the States. So think of Westeros being a STATE of sorts (lol). 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy, nonetheless and don't be too mad at the pace (again, not my best work).

A soft buzz erupted from Arya’s bedside table bringing her out of blissful sleep. She was having a really good dream about a certain neighbor doing more than kissing her, so she would have to promptly tell the person on the end to kindly fuck off.

But when she reached for her phone and she saw the caller ID, she had no choice but to answer. It was her sister, who although being married, decided it was better to disturb her very single sister at six in the fucking morning.

“What.” Arya deadpanned as she answered the phone.

“Well good morning to you too.” Sansa replied.

Arya rolled her eyes, knowing full well her sister couldn’t see her. “This better be an emergency because I was sleeping.”

“I’m calling to warn you. Our mother will be calling you.” Sansa simply remarked.

“What did I do this time?” Arya couldn’t remember anything that would warrant a call from her mother, expect perhaps her brief make-out session with Gendry on the dance floor at Sansa’s wedding. But to her defense, they were pretending to be a couple, so it wasn’t like it was a total stranger.

“Oh, it’s nothing that you did…this time anyway.”

“Okay…well what is it?”

“Bran and Meera eloped! Can you believe that?” She exclaimed.

Arya gave a knowing smile. Of course she can believe that! Between Meera’s mother and their mother, they probably pushed the poor girl over the edge. “Good for them.”

“Arya! Mother is furious! Now they have to cancel everything.” Sansa sighed.

“Honestly, I think it’s better than having a wedding anyway. The money you spend, the stress it gives you; it’s not worth it.”

There was brief pause on the other end of the phone. It was a sign that Sansa was thinking, rather loudly.

“That’s besides the point. Look, I just called to warn you. I’ve got to go; Theon and I are on our way to the airport for our honeymoon.”

“Well, have fun…I guess.” Arya clicked her phone, not waiting for a response.

Her sister did do her a favor by calling her. At least now she can dodge her mother’s calls. But it also meant that she was now free for the weekend.

Arya stumbled out of bed and threw on an overly large sweatshirt.

The news her sister had provided was too much to keep to herself. She had to tell Gendry; he would be elated that they didn’t have to go to a wedding. She threw open her door, letting Nym pad behind her as she walked the six feet it took to get to Gendry’s door. 

Arya’s fist pounded against Gendry’s door; a little more forcefully than she would have liked, but her excitement was bubbling, and she couldn’t contain her vigor.

This was the first weekend in the last five weeks that she didn’t have to go to a bloody wedding! No fancy hair or face full of makeup, not to mention she didn’t have to wear pinchy shoes. No, she had free reign, and she would take Gendry along for the ride.

A few seconds passed before Gendry’s front door swung open. His hair was mess and he looked as if he had just rolled out of bed, which was unusually, considering it was nearly 9 in the morning.

“Arya, everything alright?” He asked a bit groggily.

Arya could only smile as she giddily asked, “What are you doing this weekend?”

Gendry’s brows knitted together in confusion, “Going to your brother’s wedding, with you.”

“Nope,” she popped the ‘p,’ “Meera and Bran eloped.”

There was look of surprise etched on his face, but it was suddenly replaced with broad smile, “Well then, I guess I’m spending it with you.”

“Oh, really? Well I do hope you have something in mind, because I was planning on moping about my apartment trying to come up with a plan to beat you at scrabble.” She smiled as she pushed past him and entered his apartment.

She didn’t need a welcome; they had become so comfortable with each other that she didn’t mind just waltzing on into his home. Apparently Nym did too, because she swiftly followed Arya and plopped herself on his velvet couch.

“You know how long it took me to get the last bits of her hair off that couch.” Gendry mumbled as he closed the door.

Arya found herself rummaging through his kitchen, pulling out the coffee he had introduced to her sometime ago. She had run out of her bit a few days ago and had forgotten to order some more. She made quick work at starting the kettle, turning the knob on the stove to high. She was hardly up before ten, so she need coffee and she needed it now.

“So is that why you’re up so early?” Gendry asks as he joins her in the kitchen.

“I have Sansa to thank for that. She called me to warn me to dodge my mother’s calls…because my brother and my best friend decided to elope.”

“Good for them. Honestly, the whole big wedding didn’t seem like their thing.” Gendry pulls two mugs from the top shelf of cupboard, setting them down on the countertop beside the boiling kettle.

He scoops several spoonful’s into the French press before pulling the whistling kettle from the stove and pouring the hot water onto the grounds. The stench of coffee immediately wafts the air, and it takes everything in Arya not to sigh with desire at the dark liquid.

“No, it wasn’t.” Arya agreed as she pours herself a steaming cup of coffee. She doesn’t wait for the steam to subside, immediately taking a sip and letting the hot liquid burn her tongue. “I’m surprised they hadn’t done it sooner.”

Gendry shrugged, grabbing his own mug of coffee before staking off towards his tiny dining room. “How do you think your mother is handling it?”

“She’s having a fit, I’m sure. Sansa barely had time to tell me before she boarded a plane to her honeymoon. Remind me to avoid my mother’s calls this weekend.” She sipped her coffee in the kitchen, staying close by to the pot for a second cup.

“I think I can help with that.”

Arya shot up a brow in questioning, “You’ve already made plans for the weekend in the last five minutes? Pray tell.”

“How about you come meet my parents?”

Arya nearly choked on her coffee. Gendry wanted her to meet his parents? Sure, he’s met her family, but that was for the sake of fooling them. This would be a casual thing; her meeting his parents because he wanted her to, not because of circumstance.

“Your parents? You want me to meet them?” She reiterated, just to make sure she heard correctly.

Gendry nodded, “Why not? They live in Storm’s End, only a two-hour drive from here. They’ve been wanting me to visit.”

“You do know we aren’t in a real relationship, right?” She wanted to snatch the words back as soon as she said them. They stung, even as they escaped her lips. It was never meant to be said aloud, but she was genuinely curious as to why he would suggest such a thing.

“I know that…I just figured; I’m not doing anything…you’re not doing anything…let’s make a trip.”

Arya contemplated the thought. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, and it had been a long while since she had been to Strom’s End. It would be a nice trip, even if it was just as friends. “Alright, let’s do it.”

\--

It took them all of two hours to pack the essentials.

Arya wasn’t sure how well receptive his parents would be, so she made sure to pack things that were respectable, yet comfortable. Gendry had warned it would be rather wet, considering it was their rainy season. Luckily, Sansa had bought her pair of rain boots before she made the move to King’s Landing nearly eight years ago. She hadn’t the opportunity to wear them yet but made it a point to pack them.

Nym was squared away at Willow’s; she had agreed to watch her as a thank you for coming to her wedding. Gendry had assured her that Nym was completely welcomed at his parents house, but she didn’t want to intrude and bring a 115-pound wolf/husky mix to their house.

In fact, she herself felt like she was intruding.

His parents knew nothing of her; Arya was sure she was never mentioned and to show up to his parents’ house unannounced had her uneasy. What would they think of her? Would they like her? What will they say? And how would she explain that she and Gendry weren’t a couple, but rather just friends taking a casual trip? Of course, none of those questions would be answered until she got there, and the two-hour car ride only heightened her anxiety.

She was quite for most of the trip, letting Gendry tell stories of his parents as she pretended to listen. She would catch a few things, like how they were technically his foster parents, but still called them ‘mom’ and ‘pop’ or how they took him in when he was just thirteen years old, when they already had kids of their own to care for. From what she could gather, they seemed like nice people.

When they finally reached the sea-side town of Strom’s End, Arya was expected a house like the ones that lined the shore of King’s Landing, with multiple stories and big windows and balconies. Not the tiny seaside cottage that greeted her. It was quaint and adorable, perfect for a couple who had finished raising their children. 

“It’s so cute!” Arya giggled as they pulled up the long drive leading down to where the cottage was sitting.

“Yeah, they downgraded after I left. They didn’t need a four-bedroom house when it’s only the two of them.”

They exited his truck, gathering their things and walked down the sloping path to front door. A woman about half the size of Gendry was mucking about, tending to flowerpots and planter boxes along the windows of the cottage. She was a plump woman and had the look of raising eight sons. Her hair was brown, with streaks of grey and the wear and tear of age was evident on her face.

She stood straight when she saw them approach, a broad smile lining her face when she took in Gendry’s closing form.

“Gendry!” She threw her arms around him, hugging him close when the finally reached the cottage. “We weren’t expecting you for another few hours.”

She released Gendry, turning to Arya with the same toothy grin and pulling her into the exact same embrace she had given Gendry moments ago. “And you must be Arya! We’ve heard so much about you! Come, come on in. I have some tea on the stove and a pot pie in the oven.”

Arya was taken aback from the embrace, but returned it, nonetheless, allowing the stout woman to pull her into the cottage.

Gendry took their bags and hurried them up the stairs while Arya followed Marya to the kitchen. There was a small table just big enough to sit four people in the middle, while a wood stove and oven lined the wall. A small sink was nestled in the corner and there was a hutch with plates and cups on the other side of the kitchen. It was a tight squeeze but felt cozy.

“You have a lovely home, Marya.” Arya said as she took a seat at the small table. Marya poured her a cup of tea, setting it on the table in front of her.

“Why thank you, dear! Davos and I prefer it to something bigger.” She took her own seat in front of Arya, sipping her own tea.

Gendry came in soon after from placing their bags in second room. “Where’s Pop?”

“He’s out in the workshop.” She waved and Gendry bounded out the door, giving Arya and smiled before doing so. She couldn’t help but blush, burying her head in her teacup.

“You and my son are good for each other.” Marya mused as she filled Arya’s mug with other round of tea.

“Oh—no, we aren’t together. We’re just friends.” Arya assured, although she wasn’t sure she believed the own words coming from her mouth.

Marya let out a soft chuckle, “We you could’ve fooled me. The looks you two give each other; they’re all too telling.”

“Oh, well...” Arya wasn’t sure how to respond to that. They had been stealing glances at one another, but nothing too obvious, or at least she thought, and they had just gotten to his parents place, it couldn’t have been that noticeable.

But perhaps, they were more than just simple glances. Perhaps they were an insight to wanting something more. They had been tiptoeing on the precipice but had never taken the dive. Sure, they had shared a few kisses, but those were for show. Now, she wanted more; to share those kisses behind closed doors.

Maybe Mayra was on to something and it had Arya’s mind reeling.

“It’s alright, your secret is safe with me.” She smiled. “If you want, I can set up the couch for you tonight, to keep you two from sharing the bed.”

Arya shook her head, “That won’t be necessary. We’ve shared a bed before-I mean…we’ve slept in the same bed before-well not like _that,_ we-”

Her cheeks flushed red as she watched Mayra’s giggling fit. “Don’t worry, dear! I know how you mean.”

Gendry took his leave, leaving Arya and his mother to converse. He wanted to find Davos, to let him know they arrived, and perhaps get some fatherly advice. He could tell Davos anything, ever since he came in their home, Davos was the dad Gendry so desperately craved as a child and despite the fact they already had seven sons of their own, Davos and Mayra never let him feel like he didn’t belong to their family.

As he rounded the corner, he could hear the ruckus in the workshop.

Davos was a woodworker and would take commissions around the sleepy seaside town to help supplement his and Mayra’s income. It was how Gendry got started in metalwork. If wood could bend to someone’s will, why couldn’t metal.

Davos was most likely working on something large, by the sounds of it, and the profanities escaping the workshop only indicated that it was a rather tricky commission. Gendry stepped up to the open door of the workshop, tapping lightly on the door. Davos was startled, but quickly looked up from his workstation, a grin erupting along his face.

“Gendry, my boy!” He rounded his workstation and pulled Gendry into a hearty hug. “It’s good to see you, lad.”

“You, too, pop.” He gave Davos a pat on the back before hurrying to his workstation to examine the piece. “What are you working on?”

“It’s a boat…or well, it’s supposed to be. I can’t seem to work the wood in the right shape.” Gendry ran his hands along the rough wood of the boat. He could see where Davos was having trouble and the itch to help was clawing it’s way to the surface. He knew woodworking; it was the first thing he learned before working with metal and he wanted so desperately to get back into it.

“Let me help you.”

Davos waved him off, “Nonsense, you’re here to spend the weekend, not work.”

“I can do both.” He picked up a nearby tool and began working at the boat, trying to bend the wood into shape. Davos sighed as he realized it was a loosing argument and went to join his son at the workstation.

“Is yer neighbor with Mayra then?” He asked, his Scottish accent prevalent. He and Mayra had immigrated to the States year before they had their first child, but never lost their touch with their homeland.

Gendry nodded, “Wanted to come and find you. Need some advice.”

“Ahh, and what might that be?” He took the tool from Gendry’s hand, pushing him aside to take over the project.

“It’s Arya, my neighbor. You know what’s going on…but I think I have feelings for her. I know it’s supposed to be fake; pretending for the sake of our friends and her family, but I don’t want it to be.” he confessed. There were no secrets between he and Davos. He had told his foster dad the moment he and Arya had come up with this ridiculous plan.

He should have heeded his father’s warnings, but Gendry was stubborn and thought nothing would come of it. Oh how mistaken he was.

“I see. Well lad…have you told her how you feel?”

Gendry sagged his head, “No, but-”

“Then tell her, no ‘buts.’” Davos chastised.

“What if…what if she doesn’t feel the same way?” That was his biggest fear. He had never felt this way about anyone, not even his ex-fiancée. He didn’t want to fuck it up by expressing feelings that were only one sided.

Sure, she had kissed him back those times they had kissed in front of her family, but he was sure that was for show.

“You won’t know unless you tell her.” Davos put down the tool and began to undo his apron. “Come now lad, I can smell yer ma’s cooking. The pie must be done.”

Gendry sighed, it wasn’t the exact advice he wanted, but it was perhaps the best. Hopefully he could heed his father’s words this time around. 


	9. Part 2e: The non-existent Wedding of Bran Stark and Meera Reed Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second half to Arya and Gendry's mini vacay.  
> Feelings are felt and confessions are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well first off...
> 
> I am SO sorry this took so long, but my week has been hectic. I was in NC without a computer for four days for my uncle's funeral this past week and I just got back to FL yesterday afternoon. I also had a bit of writers block, but as soon as I started writing this chapter it just flowed out of me! 
> 
> Good news...
> 
> I am off of work for a week next week so I will have SO MUCH time to write. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter and PLEASE tell me how you like it!!

Dinner was nice. Arya enjoyed the conversations that were held between Gendry and his parents. Even they words shared between her and them became a nice distraction. She learned that Davos and Marya were good people and had fostered children long before Gendry came into their lives. Along with raising their seven sons, they have fostered nearly twenty children, rehabilitating them and readying them for society.

The kids they did take in were nearing their final years in the foster system and needed that parental push to venture out on their own. Gendry had been their last foster child, coming to them when he was just thirteen. They wanted to adopt him; officially make him their son, but by the time they got approval, Gendry was nearing seventeen and it would make no sense.

Gendry held no ill-will towards his parents for not officially adopting him and in his eyes, they were still his parents; the people that raised him and cared for him when no one else in the world wanted to.

Of course, he got the shock of his life when he turned seventeen and found out who his real father was and the family that came with him.

He got along well enough with his Uncle Renly, and even managed to stay friendly with his late father, despite his indiscretions. It was Stannis he never liked, even now nearly thirteen years later.

When Marya pulled out the photo album, Gendry insisted that it was time for bed, wanting to keep the embarrassing photos away from Arya. But of course she was able to snag the photo album, browsing through his awkward teenage years. He didn’t come into his own until he hit fifteen or so, so there were plenty of pictures to show his prepubescent self.

“Wait, isn’t this you and your ex?” Arya asked as she flipped towards the end of the photo album. Gendry came to look over her shoulder to look at the picture. Sure enough, it was a picture of he and Mel from when they first got engaged. There was happiness in both of their eyes, well before their relationship turned.

Marya came shuffling to where Arya was sitting and took a hold of the photo album. “I thought I had gotten rid of all those pictures.”

She plucked the photo out of the album and tore it in half, throwing the ripped pieces into the wood stove. “What that woman did to my boy…it’s just detestable!”

Arya could see the tears well in the older woman’s eyes. She was visibly upset as she took her seat back at the small kitchen table. Arya didn’t know much about Gendry’s breakup, but by the way Marya seemed so upset about it, perhaps it had broken him.

“Ma don’t cry. That was three years ago, I’m fine now.” He assured his mother.

She nodded, wiping away her tears. “I know, my dear, it’s just…she hurt you.”

“Come now, Marya, no need to dwell on the past.” Davos said as he gave his wife a soft squeeze.

“You’re right.” She sighed. “It’s getting late, I should clean up and head to bed.”

Arya rose from her seat and helped pick up the dirty dishes from the table, setting them into the sink. She was about to start lathering them with soap when Marya shooed her out of the way. “You are my guest; you will not be washing dishes.”

“It’s no problem, really Mrs. Seaworth, I can do it.” She tried her best to convince the woman, but she was not having any of it. Marya pushed her out the way, giving her a steady glare. Arya could only sigh and smile as she conceded and made her way up the narrow stairs to the guest room she was to share with Gendry.

Marya was right, it was getting late, and the day had finally caught up to Arya. Between the car ride up and the constant conversations she had with Marya; she could feel the exhaustion seeping into her. Pulling her bag from the floor, she set it atop the creaky bed, rummaging through the bag for her pajamas (if she could even call them that). It was more of a baggy shirt she snagged from Jon before his deployment and a pair of boy shorts to slip on underneath.

Arya placed the bag back onto the floor before tugging her shirt over her head and throwing it into the hamper across the room. She was beginning to unbuckle her jeans when she heard the door squeak open.

“Hey, sorry about my Ma she can get a little-oh…” Gendry stopped midsentence, noticing that Arya was half naked. “Shit, I’m sorry, I’ll let you change.”

He was half out the room when Arya said, “You can stay, it’s just a bra. Besides, I’m just throwing a t-shirt on.”

He hesitated at the entryway, standing with the door half open. “Uh…yeah, okay. I need to change anyway.”

Arya resumed undressing, pulling her pants off and letting them join her shirt in the hamper. She was fully aware of the Gendry’s eyes on her half naked body and she would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t like the attention. She took her time pulling on her nightclothes, opting to pull the shorts on first. She dipped her leg into the openings and began slowly pulling the garment up, letting the fabric run across her freshly shaved legs. She perked out her butt, giving the illusion that is was bigger than it really was, when she finally had the garment over her lower half.

Arya smirked as she could hear Gendry audibly swallow.

She was less graceful as she pulled on her oversize t-shirt, only then taking off her bra when she was covered. She turned around to see Gendry staring, which he tried to hide as he quickly turned. He pulled of his own shirt, leaving his chest completely exposed.

Arya blushed at the sight of him. His abs were on full display and she could see the happy trail leading beneath his jeans. She turned when he pulled off his jeans, replacing them with a pair of pajama pants.

They were both quiet as they jumped into bed. It was much smaller than Arya’s bed at her parent’s house and she could feel Gendry’s warmth emitting from underneath the duvets. She was so close to him that if she were move her arm just a tad, her fingers would brush his. The thought was tempting, and she was near to do it before Gendry turned on his side, effectively away from her.

She turned on her side and huffed.

They were tiptoeing around each other and it was becoming insufferable. She wished she could muster the courage to tell him how she felt, but what if the outcome was less than desirable? She didn’t want to disturb the friendship they had built in the last few months and confessing her feelings while he didn’t feel the same way was surely to ruin it. Yet, he did seem rather transfixed on her body when she was undressing, and the blush of his face was undeniable. Perhaps he did have feelings.

“I can hear you thinking.” Gendry mumbled.

Arya sighed. She was thinking rather loudly, and she had more on her mind than just the prospect of Gendry liking her back. She wanted to know more about his past relationship and why Marya has beside herself when she saw the picture. His mother was quick to snatch that picture and throw it in the fires.

“What happened…after you found out about Mel and your uncle?” Arya asked. She could feel her cheeks flush as she asked the personal question. Gendry had told her why his relationship ended, but not the aftermath and how he took the betrayal.

After a long silence, Arya quickly added, “You don’t have to tell me…It’s just…your mom, she was so upset…and-”

“No, it’s fine.” Gendry quickly interjected. “I, uh, kind of went on a bender. I started drinking and going home with a new woman nearly every night. I was turning into my Robert and I didn’t want to see it. I was like that for almost two months and then one of the girls I was with…she had a pregnancy scare; it turned out as nothing, but it woke me up and I got my shit together. Moved to King’s Landing, started my business, and here we are.”

“Wow…I didn’t know that.” Arya said.

She a bit at a loss for words. It was hard for her to comment, because like Gendry, she had gone on her own bender of sorts after her dad passed away. Sure, it wasn’t near at the same capacity, but she had her own reasons as to why she did what she did.

“Yeah, it’s not something that I like to blast out in the open.”

“I get it. I kind of went on my own thing after my dad passed.” She confessed. It was the least she could do, considering Gendry reveled a bit about his own past.

“I guess we are both all kinds of fucked up.” He sighed as he pulled the duvets closer to his chin.

Arya chuckled, “I guess we are.”

\--

When Arya woke up, Gendry was already gone. The sun was high in the sky and when she checked her phone it was nearing ten in the morning. She could smell the aroma of tea wafting up the stairs, and although it wasn’t coffee, it was still very much inviting.

She climbed out of bed, pulling on her loose boots and shuffled down the stairs.

Davos and Mayra were already at the table finishing up with their own breakfast. She quietly took her seat and began munching from the plate Marya had laid for her. A cup of tea was placed promptly in front of her and she gladly accepted.

“Where is Gendry?” She asked in between chews.

Davos took a sip of his own brew before answering. “He’s out in the shop. He told me to tell yer to meet up with him as soon as yer finished here.”

Arya was quick to finish. She chomped on her toast, stuffing the piece into her mouth in nearly one piece. Her tea was gone in two gulps, admittedly at the expense of her now scotched tongue. Once she was done, she placed her dishes in the sink, again shooed away by Marya, insisting she go and change and meet with Gendry.

She was quick to change, pulling on a hooded sweatshirt and pair of leggings. It was cool morning, and she felt the bite as soon as she had woken. There was no central heat in the Seaworth’s cottage, and she had to rely on the tiny fireplace in her and Gendry’s shared room. They had forgotten to light it the night before and she had to make a mental note to remind him to light it that night.

She descended the stairs quickly, taking two at a time, and burst through the front door. She nearly ran to the workshop in the back but made it a note to take her time. She didn’t want to seem too eager.

When she entered the shop, she noticed Gendry working on some type of boat. There was sweat dripping down his face, and it was twisted in concentration. When he noticed Arya, he was quick to set down his tools, taking his earbuds out of his ears.

“Hey.” He said as he began to clean up his workstation.

“Hey, your Da told me to meet you out here.” She mentioned.

Gendry nodded, “Yeah, I thought that we could go for a bike ride.”

Arya would have chocked on water if she was sipping it. “I’m sorry, what?”

Gendry chuckled as he moved from the workstation. He went to stand in front of a pair of rickety bikes. The handles were rusting, and the seats were worn down. One wrong move and those bikes were sure to crumble.

“A bike ride. Nothing too far, just around the bend.” He mentioned.

“Uh…I don’t think so. I haven’t ridden a bike since I was like twelve! And those bikes look like they are about to disintegrate!” She took one more glance at the bikes and grimaced. There was no way she was going to get on that thing, not if meant her life was hanging in the balance.

“Come on! I tested them out and if they can hold my weight, then you won’t be a problem.” He smiled.

He was giving her the toothy grin that made her near weak at the knees. That alone was convincing and with a hefty sigh, she nodded, conceding to his plea. “Fine. You win. But if I die, I will come back and haunt your ass.”

“I wouldn’t have any other way.” He grabbed the bikes and handed her the smaller of the two. They must have been Davos and Marya’s from back in the day and that made Arya smile. To think that those two used to ride around on bikes on romantic strolls.

She rolled the bike out of the workshop, only getting on it when there was steady ground. It took her a few tries to remember how to ride a bike, but as soon as she started it was if it was second nature. The squeaks and creaks in the chains had her second guessing her decision, but it was quickly replaced by determination as Gendry passed by her.

“Keep up!” he yelled back to her and she began to pedal faster, pushing the old bike to it’s near limit.

She managed to catch up to him and took in the view around them. She had to admit, it was beautiful. The way the sun shined behind the wave of the ocean, or the way the hills sloped behind them. Arya followed Gendry as he took to a spot further inland. It was hidden behind tall grass and there was a small tree with a blanket laid out.

There was a basket of goods, sweets, and wine waiting to be enjoyed.

“What is this?” She asked as she climbed off the bike and leaned it against the tree.

Gendry shrugged, “It’s a picnic. Figured we could escape for a bit.”

“I know it’s a picnic, but why?” She asked completely dumbfounded.

“Why not? We’ve been through a lot and it would be nice to let the façade down for bit.” He grabbed her hand and gently pulled her down to the blanket, pouring a hefty glass of wine. She gladly took it and sipped on the sweet red, letting the liquid cascade down her throat.

“This is amazing, Gendry, truly.” She smiled as she plucked a macaroon from the basked and popped it into her mouth. The flavor was peach, and she moaned at the delighted taste. “Where did you even get all of this?”

“I got up at six this morning and headed into town. Luckily, I know the local baker and convinced her to open the shop up early and sell me a fresh batch of sweets.”

“What did you promise her, a seaside date?” She half joked.

“Hmm, I’m not sure how her husband would have taken that. Besides, she’s not my type.”

Arya lifted her brow, “And who is your type?”

Gendry smiled, a slight blush creeping onto his face, as he began to lean in. Arya wasn’t expecting it when his lips brushed against hers. It was feather light, but enough to entice an electric shock to shake through her.

“You.”


	10. Part 3: The Not So Great Day of Gendry Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya deals with what happened at Gendry’s parent’s house and Gendry gets some shocking news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What...i updated?? Yes I did and no we did not move straight into another wedding. Don’t worry though, we will for the next three chapters, then an epilogue. Things kinda go down in this chapter and it sets up the events for the next few ones. 
> 
> We head to The Vale for Jeyne’s wedding next and things come to light...well they come to light before then...but yeah...there’s a lot. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this filler chapter, because that is what it is!

Arya never noticed the dead bug on her ceiling. It must’ve been there for a while, for its skeletal remains were all that was left.

She had been pondering the recent events that occurred over the weekend and staring at her ceiling seemed like a good way to go by it. Gendry had all but confessed his feelings for her. He went out of his way to set up a romantic picnic on a seaside hill with the wave crashing in the distance.

It was beautiful and Arya had no words. In fact, her head was ins such a daze, she couldn’t remember how she got back to the cottage. She had flashes of what happened, like a cheeky smile and feverish kisses. But then her memory goes blank and she’s suddenly back at the cottage sipping a cup of tea with Mayra.

They left later that evening, with nothing but a three-hour car fide ahead of them. It was silent as Gendry drove down the highway, but not that awkward silence. No, it was more like that kind of silence that was tolerable. Uneventful.

Even when they go back home and he carried her bags up the five flights of stairs it took to reach their floor, did they remain silent.

Only a soft kiss upon her cheek was left as he bid his farewell and trotted down the hall to his apartment. Arya’s head was in such a tizzy that she only managed to get her bas to the side of the couch before she stumbled into her bedroom and threw herself on the bed.

Usually she had Nym to help her through her thoughts, but she was till at Willow’s, not slated to be picked up until the morning, leaving Arya all alone with her thoughts.

She should have said something. Anything! But after his confession her heart nearly stopped leaving her speechless. It wasn’t her finest moment. Neither was attacking his lips, but it was the only thing her blundered mind could think of doing. More so, it was then followed by a silent retreat as she took the rickety bike she had ridden up to the hill back to the cottage.

Arya was relieved when Gendry hadn’t mentioned anything to his parents.

They could sense something was different between the pair but hadn’t pushed it further. Even the dinner they had before their car ride home hadn’t been laced with uneasy conversation.

She had hoped that their drive home would bring some type of conversation as to what happened up on that hill, but she just couldn’t bring herself to speak up. And Gendry seemed hyper focused on the road in front of him.

Even as Arya laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, she had absolutely no fucking clue what to say to him. In just eight short hours she would have to meet up with him again, just so they could pick up Nym and she would still have no idea what to say, or where to even being.

It was pathetic!

She never had issues speaking her mind; albeit the majority of the time it was to tell people off and not about her personal feelings, but still…she felt as if she had gotten comfortable enough with Gendry to divulge certain secrets. Hell, she liked him back! So why was it so difficult for her to tell him that?

Hopefully the kiss she had given him was a big enough indicator as to what she felt for him.

Because it was different for all the other kisses they had shared. This one was fueled by some stupid agreement. They didn’t have to put on a show for an audience. They were alone on a seaside hill with a beautiful picnic when she crashed her lips to his.

It was pure; completely driven by feeling. It didn’t feel like an obligation, but rather a primal need to be close to him.

God, why couldn’t she just tell him that? Why was it so hard for her to tell him her feelings? Rickon didn’t seem to have an issue; he snagged Lyanna Mormont at just sixteen. And bloody Theon chased her sister until she finally said yes. Why couldn’t she be like them?

Instead, she was a 25-year-old wuss who couldn’t say four simple words: I like you, too.

Giving herself a mental slap in the face, she shuffled out of her bed and stomped through her apartment. She swung her door open, letting it close with a bang as she trotted over to Gendry’s place.

Standing in front of his door, she raised her fist to knock, only to have it hang in the air.

_Come on, Arya. Knock!_

She tried to urge herself to do it but remained stoic and unmoving. She must’ve looked ridiculous standing in the middle of the hallway with her fist raised in the air. Thank god she and Gendry were the only ones living on the fifth floor, or else she would have gotten a few strange looks.

_Stop being a pussy, just knock!_

Taking a deep breath, she pounded her fist against the door. There were some shuffling noises from behind the door before Gendry threw it open. He looked a bit disheveled, as if he had just stumbled out of bed. It was near midnight and Arya silently cursed herself for not considering the time. Of course he would be asleep, he did just drive three hours.

“Arya?” Grogginess coated his voice. “Everything alright?”

“Uh…yeah! I was just checking to see if you’re still able to take me to get Nym tomorrow.” She rambled out.

Gendry lifted his brow, “Yes…I said I would earlier.”

“Right.” Arya blushed. She began twisting the hem of long sleeve. A habit she had often did when nervous. “I forgot.”

“Uh huh…is that the only reason you knocked on my door at twelve in the morning.” Arya could tell he was being cocky. By the gleam in his eyes and the smirk on his face, not to mention his arched brow, he was trying to rile her up…and it was working.

She swallowed hard and she was sure her cheeks were glowing a crimson red, “Yes…I just…well…goodnight.”

Arya quickly turned on her heel and headed back to her apartment, wanting to get away from Gendry as fast as possible. Any longer standing in front of him with his bare chest and sweatpants, she would have pounced. There was definitely an attraction to him, and she was so close to expressing her feelings, but of course she chickened out. What an idiot!

Arya threw her back against her front door, shaking her head from the feelings that were stirring inside of her.

“Come on Arya, snap out of it! You don’t want a relationship…you don’t want this.” She tried talking herself out of what she was feeling, but she couldn’t. There was no denying how she felt. She was falling for Gendry, and with his confirmed feelings, all she had to do was tell him that.

“Fuck it.”

She threw her door open and marched down the hall to Gendry’s apartment, not hesitating to knock on his door. It took all of a few seconds for him to open his door, a grin plastered on his face.

“I like you, too. But…I want to make something clear; we go slow. My last relationship was rushed and caused a lot of issues. I don’t want that for us. Let’s test the waters first.” Arya rambled.

Gendry smiled, “I can do that.”

There was no time to react as he brought his lips to hers. The feeling was electrifying, much more so than the kiss they shared earlier that day. This time Arya would remember the feeling. Every detail.

* * *

Gendry was elated.

Arya confessed her feelings and taking his father’s advice proved good. It was a bold thing to do and he wasn’t sure how Arya’s reception would be, but he was pleasantly surprised. He obviously wasn’t excepting her to attack his lips as she did, but it was the validation he needed to know that she liked him too.

Of course, she was in a bit of daze afterwards and had stormed off back to the cottage. He wasn’t sure what to think of that. Perhaps she had changed her mind. And when she said not a single word on the car ride home, he began to panic.

It wasn’t like Arya to be that quiet. During the time that he knew her, she wouldn’t shut up. Not during the weddings, not when they were hanging out, not even when she was with her family. She always had some quirky remark to say. He was afraid that he had broken the infamous Arya Stark and truly rendered her speechless.

He was feeling a bit hopeless when he left at her apartment, only bringing himself to give her soft kiss upon her cheek. Maybe he had misread the signs and she didn’t have feelings for him after all. Maybe the kiss was just an experiment to see if she did feel the same way.

But then she had knocked on his door and told him how she felt.

It was as if all the pieces were falling into place…or nearly all of them.

Arya wanted things slow, and if he was being honest, so did he. His last relationship burned him, and he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to recover if Arya were to leave him. He knew the consequences of taking things fast and he’d be damned to let that happen again. Of course, he didn’t think Arya would ever do anything conniving like Mel. She would be the type to let him know up front.

Besides, he had things he had to work on himself. There was still the matter of his business and whether or not he would have one by the end of the year. It was stress he was dealing with that didn’t need to be put on Arya.

He was sure they would figure out the dynamics of their newfound relationship, until then, he’d rather keep his financial burdens a secret.

Gendry still had a few large commissions, not to mention another request from Arya’s boss for a piece in her personal collection, but if he didn’t start selling some his smaller pieces, then he wouldn’t have a company come the new year. He wouldn’t be able to afford rent, or food, or anything really. And as much as Mayra and Davos said he could move in with them anytime, he refused to live his parents.

He hated how his struggles were overtaking his thoughts. He should be thinking about Arya’s lips as they moved in sync with his. He had nearly attacked them when she standing at his door, much like she did to him when they were visiting his parents. He wanted to sweep her into his apartment and ravish her like he had dreamed of doing since Willow’s wedding, but with both agreeing to take it slow, he had refrained.

Instead he pulled from her lips, gave her small kiss on her head and bid her goodnight.

They would see each other in just a few short hours when they had to pick up Nym. Then they could spend the day together, figuring out what their relationship was.

It was new, that was for sure, and it had been such a long time since he’s last been in a relationship, that he didn’t want to screw it up. Granted, his last one didn’t end on a high note, but Arya was not Mel and he didn’t think that she would leave him for his uncle.

His giddiness has him tossing and turning the rest of the night, and before he knew it, his alarm clock was blaring. The red hue from the illuminated numbers read 7:00 AM. He and Arya had to be at Willow’s by nine to pick up Nym. He was sure the husky didn’t give her too much trouble, but even he knew how restless Nym could get without Arya. He did have to watch the dog for the better part of six weeks when she left.

He shuffles out of bed, groaning at his lack of sleep. It would cause for a cranky day if he didn’t get his coffee…which he so happened to give the last bag of to Arya. At least it was the perfect excuse to pad over to her apartment, although he could do with a shower first. His encounter with Arya just a few hours earlier had be sweat in places he didn’t know he was capable of sweating in, which left him a bit on the stinky side. Besides, he couldn’t complain if she just so happened to nuzzle in his neck to take a whiff of his body wash.

It took him all of ten minutes to bathe and he opted to wear a simple black tee with a pair of sweats and sneakers. He took his hand and ruffled it between his growing hair, letting the excess water fall to the tiled floor. He brushed his teeth throughly and applied a hefty amount of deodorant, just in case he happened to sweat in those places that Arya enticed.

He was out of his apartment by 7:45 and took three large strides before knocking on Arya’s front door.

And by the gods, she was sent from the heavens above, because in her hand was a very large cup of coffee.

“I figured you would need this.” She handed him the mug and he gladly took it, taking a hot sip, and letting the searing liquid slid down his throat.

“How did you know?” He asked as he passed her threshold and took a seat on her couch. Her hair was wrapped in a towel and she was sporting a pair of jeans and tank for their outing.

“Well, if you were anything like me last night and couldn’t sleep, then I knew you would need one.” She shrugged as she took her own mug of coffee and joined him on the couch. Her body was nearly touching his, and it took everything in him not to devour her right then and there.

“Are you near ready?” He asked, looking at the clock atop her stove. It was near 8 and, with traffic, they’d be lucky to reach Willow’s by 8:45.

Arya shook her head, causing the towel to loosen and fall from her hair, “I just have to pass a brush through these locks and we can head out.”

It didn’t take her long to finish up, just enough time to allow Gendry to finish his cup of coffee before they were out the door. The car ride to Willow’s was filled with a comfortable silence; they were content with each other’s company and Gendry would be lying if he said he didn’t stop to take glances at her her cleavage every once awhile. Although, he was sure she could tell, because she would play the occasional minx and lean further for him to get a good vantage point.

When the reached Willow’s tiny abode, a 500 square foot home in the middle of a three acre lot, Gendry could see the happy newlywed couples sitting on the roof deck enjoying a cup of their own coffee while Nym jogged about on the fields below.

The husky nearly toppled Arya over when she caught sight of them, jumping into her arms with the full force of her 150 pound body.

“It’s good to see you too, girl!” Arya exclaimed while she rubbed the husky’s ears. When Nym got her fill of Arya, she jumped onto Gendry, licking his face clean.

“I wasn’t expecting you two until later.” Willow said as she made her way down from her roof deck. Her husband was still perched on on top, soaking in the summer heat.

“You said to pick her up by nine!” Arya argued.

Willow scoffed, “I said that because I know how late you two can be! I honestly wasn’t expecting you until noon, at the very least.”

“I appreciate the tone of surprise.” Arya said sarcastically.

Willow only gave a cheeky smile. “So how was it?”

“It was nice. I got to meet his parents.”

“Wait, you two have been dating for nearly four months and you now just met his parents?” Willow asked, shocked.

Dammit! They hadn’t prepared for this. Gendry nearly forgotten that they were pretending to be a real couple, and for months at that! Now they _were_ a real couple and they had no idea how to act. Why was it easier when they were pretending.

“I didn’t know there was a time line for these things.” Arya scoffed.

“There isn’t! I’m surprised, is all.” Willow shrugged.

Gendry was about to defend their choices when he felt a buzz go off in his pocket. He pulled out his phone, realizing Anguy had called him four times. “Shit…if you’ll excuse me, I have to take this. It’s work.”

He stalked off, leaving Arya and Willow to their conversation. He quickly hit the redial, letting the phone ring once, twice before Anguy answered.

“Hey boss, look I know you said not to bother you until tomorrow, but we have a problem.” Anguy sounded distressed.

“What is it?” 

“Your uncle is here and there some official looking dude with him.”

“What do you mean ‘official looking dude?’”

“He’s in a suit and he has some papers, like a huge stack of him. I think you better get here quick.”

Gendry looked down at his watch, “Yeah…I’ll be there in twenty.”

He hung up his phone and walked back to the bantering women. There was light laughter as he came up behind them, which quickly ceased as they took a look at his face.

“Is everything okay?” Arya asked, concerned.

“Uhh…there’s something up at the warehouse that I have to deal with. Is it okay if I run off? I’ll be back in an hour to pick you up.”

Arya slowly nodded, “Yeah…Hey, Will, is it cool if I hang for bit?”

Willow smiled, “Of course! We can gossip about our significant others!”

She turned back to Gendry giving him a small smile, “Go, I’ll be here. I hope everything turns out okay.”

“Thanks.” He gave her a quick peck before turning back to his truck.

Gendry had a million thoughts run through his head. Why the hell was his uncle there? And how the fuck was this suit? He may not know the answers, but he didn’t like the feeling he had in the pit of his stomach.

He was sure he had broken a few traffic laws getting to his warehouse, but the anticipation was eating him alive. He needed to know what was going on and he’d be damned to let a few yellow lights stop him.

He very nearly forgotten to put his truck in park when he reached the warehouse, jumping out of it with a fury. He had told his uncle not come back, hell he had told Mel! So why was he here?

When he reached the front door of the warehouse, he noticed Anguy arguing with the guy in the suit, his uncle watching from afar with a smirk on his face.

“I can’t let you go back there! My boss will be here in a fe-”

“Anguy, what the hell is going on?”

“Are you Mr.Waters?” The man in the suit asked.

“I am…what is this about?”

The man in the suit handed him a sheet of paper. His heart nearly sunk when he read the big bold letters on the front. “My name is Mr.Hawthorne, I am from the bank that owns this building. You’ve been behind of several months worth of rent payments and if we do not receive the full amount of $300,000 by the end of the thirty days listed on that sheet of paper, we will have no choice but to evict.”

“What the fuck is this! I talked to Mrs. Linsey, she said that I have three months to pay off the back payments.”

“I regret to inform you that Mrs. Linsey is no longer with our company and any promises made by her are now null and void. You have 30 days, Mr. Waters.” Gendry watched as Mr. Hawthorne turned towards his uncle, giving him a firm handshake.

“We will be in touch.” He heard his uncle say.

Gendry saw red and it took Anguy and another warehouse worker to keep him from ripping his uncle to shreds. “This is you! What did you do!?”

Stannis gave a smug shrug, “I merely sped up a slow moving process. Mel warned you, nephew. Now reap the consequences of not taking my offer when you had the chance. I’ll be here to collect my keys, along with everything inside in 30 days.”

Gendry watched as his uncle stalked off and he pushed Anguy off of him. He was raging! He was livid! And everything in him told him to beat the living shit out of his uncle, but he refrained. Because now he was facing the reality that his business would cease to exist. He needed a fucking miracle, if not, then everything he worked for. Everything that he built from the ground up would go up in smoke in just 30 days.

He was fucked.


End file.
